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Australia's Development Cooperation Program with the Philippines
Australia has been a long-standing and reliable partner of the Philippines in meeting its development challenges. Australian development assistance to the Philippines started in the 1950s, originally as part of the Colombo Plan - an initiative launched by Commonwealth countries to help strengthen the economies of South and South East Asia.
The Australia-Philippines Development Cooperation Program is based on partnership and close cooperation between the Governments of the Philippines and Australia. Many activities are jointly funded by both governments, ensuring a strong commitment to their success on each side. In selected areas, Australia also combines its efforts with other donor partners such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and United Nations development agencies to maximise impact. Australian aid is also delivered directly to Filipino communities through local non-government organisations (NGOs).
Australia’s official development assistance is administered primarily by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and also by other agencies such as the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Australian Government’s 2008-09 Budget lays the foundation for Australia to implement its long-term commitment to increase its global ODA to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015-16.
Estimated total aid flows to the Philippines for 2008-2009 is Php4.4 billion (A$109.3 million) – an increase of nearly nine per cent over the previous year – making the Philippines one of Australia’s largest development partners including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands.
Australian aid to the Philippines in the last decade amount to almost Php25 billion (over A$670 million). Significant contributions to Philippine development efforts over this period were in the areas of basic education, training and human resource development, health, rural and community development, governance, assistance to vulnerable groups, infrastructure, and support to the Mindanao peace and development process.
With the significant growth of Australia’s aid program in the last three years, Australia is now the Philippines’ second largest bilateral grant aid donor after Japan.
Under the Australia-Philippines Development Assistance Strategy 2007-2011, Australia’s aid program in the Philippines is centred on three focus areas: economic growth, basic education, and national stability and human security.
For a list of completed Australian-assisted programs in the last 10 years, click here.
Updated: July 2008