Foreign Aids: Australia to Philippines (Mindanao)

Significance of the study• Understanding and acquiring fact of foreign aid

of Australia to the Philippines is very important for each citizen to apprehend, that there are certain organization that has a greater contribution or role in the states that as well create the communication and interaction between states more possible and it create cooperation between citizen for the purpose of the development or advancement of both states.

• It is important for Filipino citizens to have a good knowledge of what are the consequences and advantages that they can obtain through these foreign aids mostly from Australia.

• It also gives as an Idea if what are the focus and issues which our country today is facing and understanding that there is also some happenings of corruption that funds which supposedly are given for those in need, is been steal by some corrupt authorities.

Area of the study Philippines (Mindanao)

• Focusing in Cotabato, Surigao, Davao Region (Region 11) , (Region 12), Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City, Bukidnon, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and Misamis Occidental.

Facts of the case

• Australia as the sixth largest country in the total area, is a wealthy country with a market economy with high GDP per capita and a low rate of poverty. Australia is a highly developed country that had a great contribution to developing countries primarily to the Philippines that focuses the study in Mindanao.

• The main aim of Australian aid programs is to advance Australia’s national interest by assisting developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development .

• Australia focuses in the Philippine aids mostly on Poverty, basic education, strengthening local service delivery, disaster risk reduction and climate change, supporting peace and development in Mindanao, and governance development.

• In partnership with the Philippine Government and with UN agencies, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and local and international non-government organizations, this has been a great partners to achieved Australia’s aid programs.

• Australian foreign aid goal to Mindanao that had been achieve is the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) Projecting the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Region 11 and 12. The project reached out to some 35,000 pupils and over 53,000 teachers in over 200 schools. And the Australian government has provided $53.4 million (P2 billion) to the Philippines through the DepEd to upgrade basic education in the three regions in Mindanao where literacy and academic competency have been low.

• In its project report, DepEd acknowledged that because of the BEAM project, student learning outcomes in ARMM have increased by 24 per cent in elementary school and 15 per cent in high school. The learning materials used by teachers and administrators was also been provided and construction of a planning and materials development center with complete facilities such as computers with Internet access and storage rooms.

• Projects funded by the Australian Government include the "Integrated Community Health Services Project", to which Australia is contributing approximately $19.5 million (P490 million) in grant aid also being funded by the Asian Development Bank, there is an immediate response to pneumonia, diarrheal diseases and tuberculosis among infants and children in South Cotabato and Surigao del Norte, followed by a longer-term emphasis on integrated community-based approaches to health planning and service delivery.

• Assistance for victims of tropical storm Sendong Australia had provide assistance worth of $1 million based on the needs assessment to be conducted by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) and in kind assistance of worth $300,000.

•  Over$2.2 million (P55 million) through the United Nations Development Programmed in support of emergency livelihood programs for former Moro National Liberation Front combatants and their families.

• Philippines Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) provides grants to projects assisting landless agricultural workers and small farmers, urban poor, women, indigenous groups, fisher people, youth and the disabled. The many projects undertaken with PACAP funding include establishment of a bee-keeping enterprise which will benefit the poor in the region of Cagayan de Oro City.

• National stability and human security that support Mindanao of about$34.4 million in 1997–2010 that Assists in rebuilding conflict-affected communities in Mindanao through livelihood development, peace building and capacity building. Implemented by the UNDP in partnership with the Mindanao Economic Development Council, local governments and NGOs.

• For Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) about $100 million , Assists the Philippine Government to rehabilitate and maintain more than 1000 provincial roads in up to 10 provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas.

• Partnership for Economic Governance Reforms (PEGR) and over $31.4 million in 1999–2009 is given for local sustainability and that strengthens community and local government unit partnership in resource planning and management, and provides resources for sustainable community livelihoods

Analysis of the DataAustralian Government Aid Initiatives

Achieve goals of Australia Foreign Aids

Funding support/assistance

Recipients Area/Location

Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) Project

$ 53.4 million 35,000 pupils and over 53,000 teachers

COTABATO City, Philippines

Natural Disaster $ 1 million 175,000 of people Cagayan De Oro City and Iligan City

Emergency Livelihood Programs

$ 2.2 million Moro National Liberation Front combatants and their families.

Bukidnon

Integrated Community Health Services Project response to pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases and tuberculosis

$ 19.5 million Infants and children South Cotabato and Surigao del Norte

Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF)

$ 100 million Local Governments 10 provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas

Peace and Development $ 34.4 million Muslim People Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

Local Sustainability $ 31.4 million Local Governments Misamis Occidental

Conclusion• Australia had brought a big help to the

Philippines especially in the citizens of Mindanao that has contributed to the improvement of education mostly in the Islamic region of Mindanao with the assistance of learning materials for teachers and student. Australia is the one of the contributors of Iligan and Cagayan De Oro recovery from the natural disaster that we have experienced which is the tropical storm Sendong, that also by Australian foreign aid, we had again try to recover and try to continue for the development and progress of our City.

• The project for help assistance of infants and children also one of the great contribution of Australia. Agricultural assistance was also primary focus of Australia aid in Mindanao and the infrastructure of roads which we could see that until now some of the road construction is continuing of some part of Mindanao roads. And this assistance and projects that we have received from Australia is the provenance that Australia and Philippines mostly in Mindanao has a great relation for the welfare and improvement of each state.

Recommendation• The distribution of foreign aid must be

assured that it will be given to those areas who truly needs help and as well there should be persons whose task is keep the fund or financial aid in safe and there should be the assurance that they will never be interest of corruption and also there should be more amount to allocate for help because mostly not all areas of our country was been given the proper benefits that they obtain.

~END~Thank You!