Australia and the Philippines launched Thursday the Development Partnership Plan (DPP) 2024 to 2029 which is expected to fund P20 billion worth of developmental projects over the next five years.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines H.K. Yu said the Australian government is allocating P4 billion yearly to support the targets under the plan.
“That will be P4 billion yearly, of which P3.6 billion is the form of overseas development assistance (ODA) fund, but a part of that is already spoken for. We have continuing projects that were initiated before the DPP was finalized,” she said in a briefing.
She said Australia is committed to crafting new programs under the plan and continue existing programs.
The DPP seeks to strengthen Australia-Philippines cooperation by investing in inclusive programs aligned with the Philippines’ development priorities. It will cover areas such as civil maritime cooperation, cyber security, justice and human rights, economic reforms, peace stability, food and agriculture stability, women’s economic participation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, among others.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary Jan Adams said the plan was crafted through consultations with the Philippine government and over 50 stakeholders, including civil society organizations, development agencies, the private sector and the academe.
“The Development Partnership Plan reflects our shared ambition for sustainable, long-term outcomes that respond to the development priorities of the Philippines,” she said.
Australia and the Philippines have a strong and enduring partnership built on almost 80 years of diplomatic engagement, including over 50 years of development cooperation.
Over the last 20 years, Australia has provided over P63 billion in development programs for the Philippines, the fifth largest assistance in Australia’s portfolio.
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