US defers ‘Millennium Challenge’ aid

WASHINGTON has deferred the Philippines‘ inclusion from the roster of countries eligible for development aid under the United States’ “Millennium Challenge” fund, amid criticism of the Duterte government’s human rights record.

The Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC), a US aid agency under Secretary of State John Kerry, announced in a press release on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) that its board of directors had “deferred a vote on the reselection of the Philippines for compact development, subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.”