EU commits additional funding worth 150-M euros to PH mostly for Mindanao projects: DOF | ABS-CBN
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EU commits additional funding worth 150-M euros to PH mostly for Mindanao projects: DOF
EU commits additional funding worth 150-M euros to PH mostly for Mindanao projects: DOF
ABS-CBN News
Published Nov 05, 2020 02:22 PM PHT
MANILA - The European Union will grant another 150 million euros (around P8.5 billion) to the Philippines, the Department of Finance said Thursday.
MANILA - The European Union will grant another 150 million euros (around P8.5 billion) to the Philippines, the Department of Finance said Thursday.
The DOF said two-thirds of the amount will help finance programs to boost agricultural productivity in Mindanao and provide electricity to its far-flung small island-communities.
According to the DOF, Thomas Wiersing, the charge d’affaires of the EU to the Philippines, made this commitment during a virtual meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
Wiersing also reaffirmed the EU’s intention to reorient portions of its grants to the Philippine government’s COVID-19 response efforts in Mindanao, the DOF said.
The EU will continue to help the Philippines reform its justice system, the DOF added.
Dominguez meanwhile thanked the EU for its plan to shift some of its grants to Mindanao’s pandemic response efforts and support its cash-strapped local government units, as well as help in the electrification of its rural areas.
The Finance Chief also asked if the EU could help the government provide individual land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries, especially in Mindanao, so they could have access to credit facilities.
The DOF said two-thirds of the amount will help finance programs to boost agricultural productivity in Mindanao and provide electricity to its far-flung small island-communities.
According to the DOF, Thomas Wiersing, the charge d’affaires of the EU to the Philippines, made this commitment during a virtual meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
Wiersing also reaffirmed the EU’s intention to reorient portions of its grants to the Philippine government’s COVID-19 response efforts in Mindanao, the DOF said.
The EU will continue to help the Philippines reform its justice system, the DOF added.
Dominguez meanwhile thanked the EU for its plan to shift some of its grants to Mindanao’s pandemic response efforts and support its cash-strapped local government units, as well as help in the electrification of its rural areas.
The Finance Chief also asked if the EU could help the government provide individual land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries, especially in Mindanao, so they could have access to credit facilities.
The DOF said that as of August this year, the EU has extended a total of 85 million euros worth of grants for the government’s peace and development initiatives in Mindanao.
The DOF said that as of August this year, the EU has extended a total of 85 million euros worth of grants for the government’s peace and development initiatives in Mindanao.
Relations between the EU and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte have been testy, with Duterte even telling EU delegates to get out of the country at one point, and refusing aid from the EU over its criticism of alleged human rights abuses in the country’s drug war.
Relations between the EU and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte have been testy, with Duterte even telling EU delegates to get out of the country at one point, and refusing aid from the EU over its criticism of alleged human rights abuses in the country’s drug war.
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Last September, the European Parliament called for a review of the trade perks extended to the Philippines, citing alleged human rights abuses and a "deteriorating level of press freedom" after the government shut down ABS-CBN’s broadcast operations.
Last September, the European Parliament called for a review of the trade perks extended to the Philippines, citing alleged human rights abuses and a "deteriorating level of press freedom" after the government shut down ABS-CBN’s broadcast operations.
The government however has said that there was "no reason" for the EU to revoke tariff incentives awarded to the Philippines since there is an effective monitoring in place to ensure compliance.
The government however has said that there was "no reason" for the EU to revoke tariff incentives awarded to the Philippines since there is an effective monitoring in place to ensure compliance.
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