Australian Embassy

The Philippines

Embassy address: Level 23-Tower 2 RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, 1200 - Telephone: 757 8100 - Fax: 757 8268 - DIAC: 757 8340

Australian Agency for International Development

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia's overseas aid program, including in the Philippines.

The Australia-Philippines Development Cooperation Program’s directions are determined in consultation with the Government of the Philippines and are set out in a Statement of Commitment between the Governments of Australia and the Philippines. This aligns with President Aquino’s vision for the country as articulated in the 16 point ‘Social Contract with the Filipino People’ – which is the guiding framework for the ‘Philippine Development Plan’.

The Australia-Philippines Development Cooperation Program Statement of Commitment reflects the intention of the Governments to work together to address some of the key issues that keep people poor and make others vulnerable to falling into poverty.

The goal of the Australia-Philippines development cooperation program is to assist the poor and vulnerable to take advantage of the opportunities that can arise from a more prosperous, stable and resilient Philippines.

Australian assistance to the Philippines in 2011-12 focuses on:

Basic Education, through funding of over A$30 million (PhP1.2billion) annually in support of the Philippine Government’s Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda. We will improve the quality of and access to basic education especially for the most disadvantaged, e.g. through: school based management; rationalisation of teacher deployments to ensure coverage of remote schools; dissemination of teaching and learning materials; classroom construction. We also help improve access to quality education for children with disabilities, Muslim and indigenous children, and children in disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas, including in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Local Service Delivery, through supporting community development projects to improve access to basic social services such as health, water and sanitation, education, livelihood opportunities, environmental preservation and management, and enhanced agricultural productivity. The $100 million (Php4 billion) provincial roads maintenance and governance program in the southern Philippines encourages local governments to introduce financial and management reforms to become more accountable in providing basic services, such as road infrastructure.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change, through strengthened community based preparedness, lessening the vulnerability of the poor to natural disasters. We contribute to building the capacity of the Philippines on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation through technical trainings, generating new data and mapping, risk and exposure analysis, land use planning, and securing the safety of poor families living in hazard-prone areas.

Peace and Development in Mindanao, through promotion of human security and the culture of peace in conflict-affected and conflict-vulnerable areas via a range of peace-building initiatives. We contribute to poverty alleviation and the emergence of sustainable peace through targeted investments in basic education, and work with Philippine Government agencies to improve the delivery of basic services and social services in Mindanao.

Governance, through improved government capacity to pursue organisational change, and to partner with civil society, for improved accountability and transparency of government operations and financial management. Targeted scholarships support government institutions in more effective service delivery. Australia will support multi-sectoral coalitions to strengthen civil society capacity to engage government in partnerships for reform. We will support the implementation of the Philippine Public Financial Management Reform Roadmap to assist practical budget and expenditure management reforms. We ensure that our programs are responsive to gender equality issues and take account of the needs of persons with disabilities.

For more information on AusAID’s strategy priorities, activities and results in the Philippines please see: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/philippines/default.cfm

Updated: March 2012

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For general information about Australia's Development Cooperation Program with the Philippines, contact:

Public Affairs
AusAID Manila
E-mail: infophilippines@ausaid.gov.au