The United States and the Philippines have formally signed a Joint Declaration of Intent, establishing a new framework for bilateral health cooperation. The agreement aims to transition the Philippines toward greater autonomy and self-reliance in its health systems, while strengthening its capacity to detect and respond to global health threats, including HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and other infectious diseases.
The agreement, part of the Trump Administration's America First Global Health Strategy, commits both countries to co-funding shared health objectives and establishing a five-year Strategic Objective Agreement to advance the strategy's three core pillars.
This new arrangement is designed to increase the resilience of the Philippine health system through coordinated co-funding, and to promote innovations in program delivery aimed at slowing the spread of infectious diseases like TB and HIV.
The deal also builds on U.S. health assistance previously announced in September 2025, covering tuberculosis control, maternal health, and disease surveillance.
America First Global Health Strategy agreements signed so far represent more than $20.6 billion in new health funding, including over $12.8 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, underscoring the scale of Washington's global health commitment.
As of April 7, the U.S. State Department has signed 30 bilateral global health agreements with countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Central Asia, with the Philippines now among this growing coalition of partners working to strengthen health systems and combat infectious diseases worldwide.
