Shultz Says U.S. Has Failed Its Obligations on Aid to Philippines
Secretary of State George P. Shultz told Congress on Wednesday that the United States has failed to live up to its obligations in the Philippines and that Filipinos will remember the failure.
“We’ve done ourselves a disservice,” he said. “We haven’t come up with the money.”
Shultz was pleading with members of the House Appropriations Committee for additional money this year and next.
“It is in our strategic interest to do all we can to support the efforts of President (Corazon) Aquino’s government to restore democracy, stability and prosperity to the Philippines,” he said. “That will take money on our part--but we will pay a far higher cost later on if we do not act effectively now.”
Shultz called reduction in foreign aid by Congress a very bad thing to do. He said that there is a “vicious Communist insurgency” in the Philippines and that the armed forces need money to supply themselves and to fight effectively.
The armed forces have become more effective under Aquino, he said.
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