Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and European Union (EU) Ambassador Luc Véron have met to discuss how the Philippines and the EU can broaden their cooperation in mitigating the effects of the climate crisis and strengthening peace building efforts in Mindanao.
These two concerns have emerged as the top two priorities during discussions with Philippine officials on the EU’s next Multi-Annual Indicative Program (MIP) for 2021 to 2027, said Ambassador Véron during a recent virtual meeting with Secretary Dominguez held via Zoom.
The Ambassador said MIP’s priority to support programs leading to a green and resilient economy in the Philippines dovetails with Secretary Dominguez’s goal as chairman-designate of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) to push for the ban on single-use plastics as a climate crisis mitigation measure.
MIP’s priority programs on good governance are also in sync with Secretary Dominguez’s objective as co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) coordinating with the Bangsamoro government in Muslim Mindanao to put in place a successful and functional autonomy in the region.
During the same meeting, Ambassador Véron likewise expressed the EU’s strong support for Secretary Dominguez’s goal to ban single-use plastics as this is aligned with the priorities under the MIP.
On the peace-building efforts in Mindanao, the Ambassador said the EU will continue with its projects to assist the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), particularly in setting up its judicial system, creating jobs and livelihood opportunities, and improving community-based infrastructure in the region.
Secretary Dominguez requested Ambassador Véron to explore the possibility of providing assistance to the BARMM in improving governance and allowing its officials to witness and learn first-hand from the best practices implemented by the autonomous governments in other countries.
The Finance Secretary welcomed EU’s focus on climate crisis mitigation and its support for his advocacy on the ban of single-use plastics, which, he said, will make every Filipino an active participant in the fight against the climate crisis and raise public awareness on the urgency of addressing this pressing global concern.
On the Philippines’ economic outlook, Secretary Dominguez told the EU Ambassador that the country is “definitely on the road to recovery” starting this year as the COVID-19 vaccination program is now being rolled out to safely reopen the economy.
With a strong fiscal position, high credit rating and prudent spending policy, Secretary Dominguez said the Philippines is fully capable of funding its accelerated spending on its economic recovery program.
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