Bill Gates was a right to defend the United States Agency for International Development amid Elon Musk attacks – took it from someone who suffered from his influence

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Poach Millie is the head of the Filipino Disaster Flexibility Foundation, the space of ideas, and the innovation of QBO. He is the author of a book New notes From Manila to Wall Street: A migrant trip with the first black businessman in America.

In 1961, US President John F. Kennedy I created a new federal agencyThe United States International Development Agency (USA International Development Agency). that it The purpose “To provide assistance to countries that recover from disaster, try to escape poverty, and participate in democratic reforms.” Of the 100 countries, the US Agency for International Development has helped all over the world over the next 64 years It was my countryThe Philippines.

Last week, the US Agency for International Development The operations were officially stopped. Only the previous day, the distinguished British medical magazine published that Lancet published a study Warning of the possible consequences that are now looming on the horizon. The study found that the elimination of the United States Agency for International Development can contribute to 14 million additional deaths over the next five years. The researchers described the influence of some countries as “similar in a wide range of a global epidemic or a major armed conflict”, based on “the choice of conscious policy and can be avoided.”

I was born in the Philippines, one day, a US colony, shortly after World War II. But even from afar, I always felt close to the United States. So in 1977, I decided to follow my ambitions – and a master’s degree – in America. On the day I swore to loyalty to the Federal Court of Manhattan and became an American citizen, it will always be the first rank among the most important in my life.

At that time, I had no idea about how much he was accomplished at the US International Development Agency in the Philippines, much less than I would participate personally in it.

The battle over the United States Agency for International Development

In February on the social truth, President Donald Trump It announced that the US Agency for International Development is spent “Not completely interpreted … close it.” he He claimed that the agency was operated “The left left left.” Timing The CEO Elon Musk – who was directed by Trump to head the newly populated government efficiency Ministry, reduce fraud, waste and abuse – was previously called the agency, “beyond reform”, “corrupt”, and “criminal organization”. “Time to die”, Musk Posted on X.

In a short time, Microsoft The founder and improvement Bill Gates intervened and met President Trump in the White House to defend funding – and call for – financing for the US Agency for International Development. Gates has described the American Agency for International Development as “the best” for all development agencies worldwide. In May, it is Accuse “The children of the poorest world were killed.” But by that time, the template was thrown while Trump was a victory The budget and the reduction of employees were described She was already exposed to the United States Agency for International Development as “destroyed”.

However, other prominent opponents ascended the controversial cuts to the breach. At a video conference, they generated the United States Agency for International Development around the world in late June, and presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, along with the U2 Bono singer, gave a farewell to the agency. Obama said: “Overcoming the US Agency for International Development is a farce, it is a tragedy.” “Is it our national interest that 25 million people were now going on? I think it is, and so are you.”

Achievements of the United States Agency for International Development

As she has learned, since its return in 2000 to live in the Philippines, I have learned any Yeoman job at all. Food from American farmers feed hungry families and hunger refugees. Its employees distributed drugs to malaria, HIV and other infectious diseases that saved lives. She enabled societies Anti -poverty and economic developmentIn this process, the creation of new consumer markets for American goods.

In the sixties of the last century with the countries that are still recovering from the scourge of World War II, the US Agency for International Development helped to establish national government agencies and educational institutions. Later, the US International Development Agency focused on Promote democratic institutions.

In 2012, a new major program for the State Agency Eliminate tuberculosis Improving the success rates of treatment by 92 %.

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In my country, from 1995 to 2013, the US Agency for International Development trained 28,000 former fighters with skills and tools for land cultivation and gain a livelihood, helping to reintegrate these civilians into society, and raising the economy in the southern Philippines that are still torn by war.

Thanks to the hand of the American Agency for International Development, our maternal mortality rate was reduced over almost 23 years, from 209 per 100,000 live births in 1993 to 114 per 100,000 live births in 2015. More than 1.5 million Philippine benefited from support from the US International Development for Sustainable Management for Coastal Fisheries to stop excessive fishing and environmental decomposition.

But this hardly. The United States Agency for International Development has trained more than 19,000 Filipino teachers in English, mathematics and science. As a result, the percentage of students in the sites assisting by the American Agency for International Development who met national standards to read fluency and understanding QuadrupleFrom 20 % in 2013 to 76 % in 2016.

in The destroyed height of Hayan In 2013, one of the largest land -made storms, the rebuilding schools by the US International Development Agency, health clinics, water systems and survivors helped to rehabilitate their stores and businesses. Recently, it has begun in programs that have strengthened city economies outside Manila to enhance sustainable growth.

Today is the Philippine economy Rows The world’s thirty -largest GDP – and the largest in Asia, according to the International Monetary Fund. this year The World Bank said“Its economic dynamism reflects the increase in urbanization, the large population and youth, and the strong demand for consumers, with the support of the vibrant labor market and strong transfers, which sparked the most vulnerable income.” The case can be presented that the US Agency for International Development and Volunteering on the ground contributed greatly to the current social and economic status of the Philippines.

As head of the Disaster Management Organization in the private sector, I I collaborated with Usaid In many projects over the past ten years. Together, societies and municipalities helped us Prepare for calamitiesEnabled the Ministry of Energy to upgrade the energy sector during repeated storms, enhance the elasticity of major provinces, and direct the civil defense office in partnership with private companies to provide relief to disasters.

I also had the opportunity to go alongside the United States Agency for International Development as a leadership to start starting the startup. We have joined the forces on the Stride program, which has strengthened entrepreneurship and innovation.

From the American people “

The result is that the American Agency for International Development is embodied for us the best ideals in America, as it has created a goodwill among our countries. More touch, this helped most at risk, all while building demand for American knowledge and products.

All these programs suddenly ended this year, and almost every person I knew at the United States Agency for International Development is packed and went home. About 1,600 employees of the United States Agency for International Development, as a first step in a “power reduction”, have been placed on an “administrative leave worldwide”.

Last month, Marikai Carlson, the American ambassador to the Philippines, dropped the curtain on this long -term artery between the two countries. A farewell party hosted at her residence with members of the US Agency for International Development to celebrate the partnership. I attended what I felt less than divorce from waking up.

After the party and all its sermons, one of them gave me a bag full of the role of the American Agency for International Development in the Philippines – pen, mug, calendar, a book that has acquired many of its accomplishments, all listed in the U.S. International Development Agency slogan, “from the American people.” While she went out on the wet tropical night, she grabbed the bag with a narrow grip, I feel the utmost gratitude of America and all Americans.

Even in the face of this disappointment, as a person with a dual perspective that has spanned his life in both countries, I still hope that the United States and the Philippines will remain about the friendly – and more touch, that the US State Department will resume the Crusader Crusader campaign of the United States for International Development.

in A letter to Congress on external aidPresident Kennedy said: “We have no only obligations to fulfill, we have great opportunities to achieve,” President Kennedy said. After months, When the US Agency for International DevelopmentHe repeated these words with a message we will do well today. He said: “People who oppose help should realize that this is a very strong source of strength for us … It allows us to exercise the influence on preserving freedom … because we do not want to send American forces to many areas, we send you.”

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