U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Andrew R. Herrup (left) and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez (right) join USTDA Acting Director Hardy (second from left) and DOTr Secretary Dizon (second from right) at the signing ceremony.

Arlington, Virginia, June 27, 2025— On June 26, the United States government, through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr), announced funding for technical assistance for the construction of the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway, which is designed to link three major ports in Luzon and decongest traffic at the Port of Manila.

Secretary Frederick D. Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, said the railway project boosts the initiative of linking major economic hubs under the Luzon Economic Corridor.

“We are grateful for the support in advancing this crucial infrastructure project, which will drive economic growth by improving connectivity between major ports and industrial hubs along the Luzon Economic Corridor. Once operational, the SCMB Railway will attract investments, create new opportunities for businesses, and most importantly, generate quality jobs that will benefit millions of Filipinos,” Secretary Go said.

USTDA said its technical assistance for the SCMB Railway involves transport model development, port-rail integration study, and legal and institutional framework analysis, among other areas.

“This project underscores the U.S.-Philippine alliance’s vital role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. By supporting the development of the SCMB Railway, we are ensuring that key infrastructure will flourish, increasing economic cooperation to develop an essential trading route that will mutually benefit American and Philippine citizens,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our partnership with the Philippines exemplifies the strength of American leadership in the Indo-Pacific and underscores our commitment to advancing our shared interests.”

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the freight cargo railway aims to decentralize Manila Port and provide the additional transport capacity needed at the Batangas Port and Subic Bay, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive of ensuring uninterrupted movements of goods.

“The Philippine government extends its gratitude to USTDA for their technical assistance in developing the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway. This railway will not only decongest the Manila Port but will also connect the seaport to Subic Bay and Batangas Port,” Secretary Dizon said during the Beneficiary Agreement signing ceremony in Arlington, Virginia.

“As a freight cargo railway, the SCMB Railway, is seen to solve port traffic and congestion in Manila Port, while ensuring the timely movement of products to and from adjacent major transport hubs,” Secretary Dizon added.

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson (second from right) and Philippine Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (center) are joined by Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan (leftmost), Philippine Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento (second from left), and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Director of Monitoring and Evaluation Sarah Randolph (rightmost) at the ceremonial signing of a USTDA grant for the expansion of the Philippines’ vessel traffic management system on March 1.

Manila, March 4, 2024—On March 1, the United States government announced the signing of a grant agreement between the U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA) and the Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr) for a Php55-million ($980,000) feasibility study to assess the viability of expanding the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) vessel traffic management system (VTMS).

New and improved VTMS capabilities will help the PCG prevent and respond to vessel collisions, environmental incidents, and other emergencies by expanding the PCG’s capabilities to monitor maritime traffic. The system will also make port access more efficient by reducing ship wait times and voyage costs.

Similar to air traffic control, VTMS provides active monitoring and navigational information for maritime vessels, particularly in congested ports and waterways. USTDA’s study will evaluate the performance of the PCG’s existing VTMS in the Cebu Strait, assess the potential implementation of the system at up to ten additional locations across the country, and create detailed implementation plans.

“The USTDA grant will provide the DOTr and PCG with the necessary technical expertise and cutting-edge U.S. solutions to implement the project,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said at the ceremonial grant agreement signing held at the DOTr Central Office in Mandaluyong City. “This project will help protect marine ecosystems while improving maritime trade and commerce—two equally important and mutually reinforcing lines of effort to help improve Philippine lives and livelihoods.”

“VTMS will promote efficient movement of people and goods through the Philippines’ island water corridors,” DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said. “It will be a key step that will empower the PCG to level up their maritime security and marine environment protection capabilities. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the USTDA and the U.S. Embassy as we see the full potential of this system.”

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced this initiative during her visit to the Philippines in November 2022.

“VTMS technology will improve trade, protect the environment, and save lives in the Philippines,” USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong said in a statement. “USTDA is pleased to partner with the DOTr to expand opportunities for high-quality U.S. infrastructure solutions to benefit the Philippines’ overall maritime safety.”

Above photo: Nokia Bell Labs Managing Partner Stefan Wilhelm (seated left) and NOW Telecom Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mel Velasco Velarde (seated right) sign the Php 118 million USTDA grant in the presence of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and DICT Undersecretary Angelo Nuestro.

Below photo: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink (fifth from left) joins U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson (fourth from left), Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez (second from right), and representatives from DICT, NOW Telecom, and Nokia Bell Labs Consulting at the signing of the USTDA grant for 5G deployment in the Philippines on January 20.

Manila, January 23, 2023— The United States government, through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), is providing NOW Telecom Company, Inc. a Php 118 million ($2.15 million) grant to fund a feasibility study for the development of reliable and secure nationwide 5G mobile and broadband networks in the Philippines.

NOW Telecom has selected New Jersey-based Bell Labs Consulting, part of Bell Labs, the research arm of Nokia, to conduct the study.

The grant agreement was signed by NOW Telecom Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mel Velasco Velarde and Nokia Bell Labs Managing Partner Stefan Wilhelm during the 10th U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Manila on January 20.  United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, and Philippines Department of Information and Communications (DICT) Undersecretary for Connectivity Angelo Nuestro witnessed the signing.

“This 5G grant demonstrates the U.S. commitment to developing quality digital infrastructure and increasing access to affordable connectivity in the Philippines,” Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink said.

For his part, DICT Undersecretary Nuestro said, “The open innovation platform that this partnership seeks to give will enable the broader Philippine society to take a leap towards a connected future.  We welcome these opportunities that will improve the lives of Filipinos.”

Under the USTDA grant, the feasibility study will provide NOW Telecom with the necessary analysis, designs, and plans for the phased implementation of the project.  It will also include the establishment of a 5G pilot network at multiple sites in Metro Manila to validate network performance, test 5G use cases, and provide data to inform larger scale deployment.

This project aims to support the digital transformation of the Philippines by helping to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth, reliable, and secure digital services from households and industry in the Philippines. 

The feasibility study grant furthers U.S. digital policy in line with the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which aims to promote secure digital infrastructure in the region to bolster economic growth and facilitate open digital societies.

USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong (seated left) and Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. Vice President David Aboitiz (seated right) sign a USTDA grant that will lay the groundwork for one of the first offshore wind projects in the Philippines. Standing from left: U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, and Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella.

Manila, August 9, 2022—On August 6, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the United States’ clean energy commitments to the Philippines at an expo featuring small- and medium-sized renewable energy companies.

Citing the Philippines’ increasing vulnerability to the dangerous effects of climate change, Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of investing in clean energy and lauded the projects of six renewable energy companies specializing in biomass, hydropower, solar, wind, energy efficiency, and off-grid solutions.   

“Last year, the Philippines announced an ambitious clean energy goal: to produce 35 percent of the nation’s energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.  The United States commends these goals, and we’re committed to helping the Philippines achieve them,” Secretary Blinken said in his remarks. 

Secretary Blinken, alongside Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, also witnessed the signing of a grant awarded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. for a feasibility study to develop one of the first offshore wind projects in the Philippines.  This project is expected to produce up to three gigawatts of clean energy, providing power to more than two million households. 

“USTDA is committed to delivering game-changing projects to close the infrastructure gap and support the clean energy transition in the Philippines,” said USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong.  “Our assistance will be critical toward defining the wind projects’ technical and design options, as well as structuring deals for international financial institutions.  Our goal is the delivery of clean energy to millions of Filipinos.” 

“The United States remains a steadfast partner and supporter of emerging economies like the Philippines in facilitating job creation and building of a high quality and environment friendly energy infrastructures that support initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change,” said Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez. 

In his remarks, Secretary Blinken cited several projects aimed at supporting energy security in the Philippines.  This includes the United States Agency for International Development’s Energy Secure Philippines Initiative, a 5-year project worth $34 million (Php 1.89 billion) that aims to mobilize more than $750 million (Php 41.8 billion) of private-sector investment to support up to 500 megawatts of new clean energy generation.  He also noted the Clean Energy Demand Initiative and U.S.-Philippines Memorandum of Understanding on Civil-Nuclear Cooperation signed in March 2022 and announced ongoing capacity building assistance to help the Philippines explore nuclear energy options through the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program. 

The Philippines is an initial partner of the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a group of 13 countries across the region that are committed to promoting clean energy and decarbonization as a key pillar of a stronger, fairer, and more resilient economy.  Secretary Blinken recognized the contributions of several public-private partnerships with the Philippines under the IPEF’s Clean Energy, Decarbonization, and Infrastructure Pillar, which includes the Clean Energy Demand Initiative, the Geothermal Development Initiative, and the Energy Resource Governance Initiative that will strengthen mining sector governance for resilient mineral supply chains. 

Manila, Philippines—Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant to Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) for training to advance Smart’s plan to expand 5G services to 96 percent of the country’s population. USTDA made the award to support Smart’s investment in equipment and services from Cisco Systems, Inc. 

“This grant demonstrates USTDA’s commitment to supporting cutting-edge information and communications technology infrastructure in the Philippines, while promoting innovative solutions from U.S. companies,” said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “We are proud to partner with Smart and Cisco on this project, which will strengthen digital connectivity and bring faster, higher quality, and more affordable digital services to the people of the Philippines.” 

USTDA’s training grant will help Smart, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ largest, fully integrated telecommunications company PLDT Inc., deliver better cloud-based products and services to its customers across the Philippines. This grant builds on previous USTDA assistance that is advancing PLDT and Smart’s efforts to modernize the company’s national fiberoptic network and prepare the Philippines for the transition to 5G. 

“We are excited to witness the continuous development of the Philippines’ digital infrastructure through projects such as this one,” said Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava. “Many Filipinos will benefit from the increased range of Smart’s services, which will reach more unserved and underserved areas in the country. The United States continues to work with its partners to ensure secure and reliable digital connectivity for Filipinos.” 

“We are grateful to USTDA for their training assistance in this undertaking between Smart and Cisco. A well-trained technical team is vital to the success of our overall digital transformation, which will enable us to elevate the experience of our customers,” said Al S. Panlilio, President and CEO of PLDT and Smart Communications. “Our people must be trained and prepared to make full use of the power of these transformative new technologies.” 

Manila, Philippines – On February 16, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for technical assistance to upgrade its digital infrastructure and enhance citizen services for millions of Filipinos. USTDA’s assistance continues a successful, decades-long partnership that has advanced priority information and communications technology infrastructure across the Philippines.

“USTDA is supporting an ambitious effort by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to identify and deploy the most innovative ICT solutions in support of its vital mission. Our assistance will help the Bureau meet its data and cybersecurity needs as it navigates an increasingly complex technology environment,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our involvement in this project will also create opportunities for American firms to support the Philippine government’s digital transformation goals.”

USTDA’s technical assistance will create a digital strategy roadmap, workforce development plan and implementation plan for an in-house data center that will collectively enhance BIR’s e-filing and e-payment systems. By building a platform for more efficient and transparent revenue collection, USTDA’s grant will enhance the Philippines’ tax reform and long-term digital transformation efforts.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John C. Law, who signed the grant on behalf of USTDA, said, “This grant in support of BIR’s digital transformation efforts will lead to improved network performance, increased information security, reduced costs, and greater transparency, all of which are vital to BIR’s tax administration duties.”

BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay acknowledged the steadfast support of the USTDA, articulating that the technical assistance “will be invaluable as BIR undertakes the complex review and assessment of its ICT infrastructure, including the strategic roadmap to modernize BIR systems and infrastructure, aligned with and responsive to the BIR mission and mandate of the incessant pursuit of improving tax compliance and raising more revenue for the government.”

“I thank the people and the government of the United States, represented here today by Chargé d’ Affaires John Law, for supporting our efforts to harmonize the Bureau’s information and communications technology infrastructure,” added Carlos G. Dominguez, Philippine Secretary of Finance. “Your support will make the Bureau of Internal Revenue a more effective agency. It will keep the agency abreast with the rapidly advancing financial technologies. It will dramatically improve the agency’s organizational capacity and collection efficiency.”

Since 1992, USTDA has funded more than 140 activities in the Philippines.

U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit https://ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project/.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies.  USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

Manila, February 7, 2019 — The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines awarded a Php 23.8 million grant to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to support implementation of the Philippines National Broadband Network Project.  U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. signed the grant during a ceremony at DICT headquarters on February 7.

The grant, issued through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), will fund technical assistance to help DICT advance its plans to provide broadband access to underserved markets throughout the Philippines.  The advisors, who will be selected by DICT from qualified U.S. firms, will assist DICT in refining technical and operational designs, assessing future market demand, and preparing documentation required for the financing and implementation of the network.

“The U.S. is a strong friend, partner, and ally of the Philippines, and I am proud to expand our partnership in technology and communications,” said Ambassador Kim.  “This grant supports the Philippine government’s goal of improving connectivity across the country and transitioning towards a digital economy.”

USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.  USTDA Acting Director Thomas R. Hardy explained, “This grant demonstrates USTDA’s commitment to supporting the development of quality information and communications infrastructure and broadband capabilities in the Philippines.  At the same time, this project will expand opportunities for U.S. companies to deliver innovative technologies and solutions in the Philippines market.”