MANILA – Canada is funding seven development projects worth around PHP757 million in the Philippines, the Canadian Embassy in Manila announced Thursday.
The new development assistance will be implemented over the next five years. Its focus is supporting the country’s Covid-19 economic response, empowering and improving women’s health and assisting the vulnerable sector in Mindanao.
“Canada continues to work in a coordinated manner with government agencies and non-governmental organizations to ensure that these projects will reach their target beneficiaries,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur said.
The projects include:
· Education initiatives in Parañaque, Taguig, Pateros and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to be implemented by various groups, including Save the Children, Department of Education, Big Bad Boo Studios, Inc., and the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education.
· Health care initiatives implemented by the Canada-based non-governmental organization Inter Pares and its Philippine partner the Likhaan Center for Women’s Health to help more than 54,000 women and girls in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, as well as by the United Nations Population Fund in at least 10 municipalities in the Calabarzon region;
· Empowerment and inclusive governance initiatives implemented by the Mennonite Economic Development Associates to support resilience and inclusion through investment for sustainable agriculture in the BARMM; and in Davao Region by the Philippine Business for Social Progress to advance gender equality and women’s rights across the Philippines and by the Forum of Federations to promote sustained peace in Bangsamoro.
In his statement, MacArthur reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting the country and Filipinos amid the pandemic.
He said the initiatives would contribute to inclusive economic growth in marginalized communities, gender equality, youth empowerment, good governance and sustained peace in Bangsamoro.“We support our partners in the Government of the Philippines, civil society and multilateral agencies in rolling out a wide range of programs to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and jump-start the economic recovery of those who have been adversely affected by this global crisis,” he said.