The US and the Philippines on 7 April signed a new agreement to deepen cooperation on public health, pairing fresh funding for tuberculosis treatment with a longer-term plan to shift more responsibility to Philippine health authorities.

Y. Robert Ewing, the US Embassy's charge d'affaires in Manila, and Teodoro Herbosa formalized the Joint Declaration of Intent on Health Cooperation, setting out a framework for expanding work on infectious diseases while preparing a transition toward greater local management of key programs.

The agreement comes as both countries mark 80 years of diplomatic ties, and builds on recent US health assistance focused on tuberculosis, HIV and broader disease surveillance.

Alongside the declaration, US officials announced the delivery of about P580 million in tuberculosis medicines, 12 ultraportable X-ray units valued at roughly P45.4 million, and a P14.5-million grant to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center to expand testing and treatment for Filipino veterans.

Tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge in the Philippines, where crowded urban conditions and gaps in early detection continue to drive transmission.

Health officials have also flagged the need to strengthen responses to HIV and other infectious diseases, particularly in improving diagnostics and access to treatment.

Under the new framework, US support is expected to continue in the near term, even as Philippine agencies take on a larger role in program delivery, financing, coordination.

The declaration outlines plans to negotiate a five-year Strategic Objective Agreement that would align funding, policy and technical assistance across both governments.

Officials said the next phase would also involve closer coordination with private-sector partners, including US-based health technology firms, as part of efforts to improve disease detection and treatment outcomes.

American assistance to the Philippines' health sector has totaled to about P13.8 billion ($250 million) in recent years, supporting programs on tuberculosis, maternal health and preparedness for emerging diseases.

Ewing said the agreement would help "support the Philippines' continued progress" in managing its health programs while strengthening joint efforts on global health security.