Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Kell have discussed possible bilateral cooperation arrangements that would allow the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Social Security System (SSS) to tap New Zealand’s expertise on modernizing their respective processes and services to better serve the public.
Ambassador Kell said during a recent virtual meeting with Secretary Dominguez that New Zealand can get involved in the ongoing BOC modernization project as a consultant and advisor.
He said New Zealand can provide training and the services of its experts to assist the BOC in capacity building and modernizing its trade facilitation and border protection functions.
New Zealand is also finalizing the financing component of a project with the SSS to redesign the processing of social security pensions and other benefits, which aims to improve the approval system and procedures for SSS members applying for these claims.
Secretary Dominguez expressed his deep appreciation for New Zealand’s offer of assistance and assured the Ambassador of the support of the Department of Finance (DOF) for both initiatives.
During the meeting, Ambassador Kell also thanked Secretary Dominguez for the DOF’s assistance to the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) in the preparation of a project proposal on establishing the DAP’s competency framework.
This DAP project will be implemented with technical assistance from New Zealand.
Ambassador Kell also informed Secretary Dominguez of the significant progress made in the discussions between New Zealand and Philippine officials on a project that will continue New Zealand’s support to Mindanao’s agriculture sector and agribusiness enterprises.
He said he looks forward to working closely with the Philippines as New Zealand hosts this year the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, which are expected to focus on discussions on how to overcome the global economic impact of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
In partnership with the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), the New Zealand government has extended about P64.25 million in assistance to support the Philippine government’s response against COVID-19, particularly in providing assistance to vulnerable communities in Mindanao.
New Zealand and the IOM have also donated 35 cold storage units necessary for the efficient delivery and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the New Zealand government has likewise continued to assist Mindanao’s agriculture sector with a US$2.69 million project to support agriculture-based livelihoods and agribusiness enterprises in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.
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