Launching of the 1st Joint EU – Member States Publication on European Union (EU) Development Assistance to the Philippines 30 January 2013 Mandarin Hotel, Makati City
His Excellencies Ambassador Guy Ledoux, Ambassador Josef Rychtar, Ambassador Gilles Garachon, Ambassador Joachim Heidorn, Ambassador Ton Boon von Ochssée, Ambassador Jorge Domecq, Deputy Heads of Mission, Development Partners, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon.
On behalf of Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, allow me to thank you for inviting NEDA to grace the Launching of the 1st Joint EU – Member States Publication on European Union Development Assistance to the Philippines. This publication marks the first step towards a comprehensive communication and visibility strategy for EU Aid and the member states’ development assistance to the Philippines.
We wish to thank the EU for ensuring the consistency of EU development assistance with the priorities of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011 – 2016. We note, in particular, the EU’s continued assistance and support for key programmes in the health and social protection sectors as espoused by President Aquino’s Social Contract with the Filipino People as well as for Philippine efforts to improve governance through key initiatives such as the recently-signed projects on improving public financial management and enhancing equitable access to justice.
The EU has also been equally active in its efforts to support the Peace Process, delivering a significant portion of its aid in Mindanao to ensure the success of the Framework Peace Agreement with the MILF through capacity-building and poverty alleviation initiatives, and in delivering prompt humanitarian and emergency assistance in times of disasters.
The launching of the Joint Publication comes at an opportune time: on the eve of the 2013 Philippines Development Forum that seeks to facilitate substantive policy dialogue among stakeholders on the country’s development agenda. The joint publication highlights the concrete figures and success stories of the EU and EU Member States Development Assistance to the Philippines. More importantly, the publication ensures that achievements and valuable lessons are communicated to the public, in a manner that will make the replication of these achievements as well improvements in the responsiveness of Aid to development challenges possible.
In parallel, as you may be aware of, several measures addressing good governance as a pillar of good economics have been implemented by the Government over the past two years, resulting in respectable economic gains. Along with fiscal improvements, these developments have placed the Philippines in a position to optimize the use of Official Development Assistance as a tool to achieving more efficient and effective financing for priority projects of the Government.
Given this recent progress and developments, the emerging challenge therefore is in ensuring better adherence to the aid effectiveness principles of the Paris Declaration and Accra Action Agenda, and Busan’s Global Partnership for Development Effectiveness; thereby ensuring aid that is not only responsive but facilitative of accelerated progress towards the achievement of the Plan goals of sustained and inclusive growth. This publication also demonstrates commitment to transparency and complies with “publish what you fund principle.”
With the launching of the joint publication, Philippines – EU partnership will surely be strengthened by raising the public’s awareness of EU’s development assistance to the Philippines, specifically showcasing its contribution to the achievement of the various priorities of the Plan. The publication will, therefore, increase support for EU commitment to further assist the Philippines’ development process in the pursuit of inclusive growth.
Thank you.
M.R. No. 2013-013
30 January 2013
