EU allots P1.2B for PHL governance projects

The European Union (EU) is alloting over P1.2 billion for three new governance projects in the Philippines this year, said Hans Farnhammer, operations chief of the EU delegation to the Philippines.   Roughly P600 million was set aside for the Department of Interior and Local Government’s accessible justice project, Farnhammer said in an emailed note to GMA News Online.   Additionally, over P450 million was set aside for the Department of Budget and Management’s public finance management project, while around P200 million was allotted for the migration management project of the National Economic Development Authority.   “We spend approximately two billion pesos in grant funding per year in the Philippines,” Farnhammer told GMA News Online.   The EU delegation is also looking at extending another P6 billion in official development assistance (ODA) grants in the next 3 years.   The three-year framework will run from 2013 to 2016. The EU is in the process of finalizing the framework, but he said the assistance will likely amount to around P2 billion every year or P6 billion for three years, Farnhammer said in a separate interview with reproters Tuesday.   "The current program is three years but we will prepare another multi-year program next year. It will be similar in amount [to the average of P2 billion per year]. It will provide budget support to the government. Basically, we use the health policy of the government as a reference," he said.   Farnhammer said that health policy is at the heart of the 2013-2016 framework, which will include funding for President Aquino's universal healthcare program. He said that under the framework, the delegation will be provide around P800 million a year for five years, or a total of P4 billion.   He added that the three-year framework also aims to finance the Mindanao Trust Fund managed by the World Bank and several trade-related projects.   Access to foreign markets   Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA), along with the EU also launched on Tuesday the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Electronic Portal (DA SPS e-portal), as part of the EU’s Trade Related Technical Assistance Project 2 (TRTA 2).   Through the DA SPS e-portal, SPS issuances are easier to access. It also helps facilitate the processing and approval of SPS or import applications of plants, ornamentals, as well as fresh and processed farm, fishery and livestock products.   The portal worth P350 million is an added feature under the current TRTA project, which cost P250 million.   "Aligning to international standards will improve the access of Philippines food exports to markets abroad. Getting the regulatory framework right and making it easily accessible is key,” said Guy Ledoux, EU Ambassador and head of the Philippine delegation.   The delegation also disclosed that the EU will grant a third tranche of funding for the TRTA worth P450 million in the third quarter of the year.   "This year, we agreed on funding the trade related assistance project. This new phase will be larger, P450 million instead of the current P350 million,” said Farnhammer at the launch.   He also said that the third technical assistance project will have the same components as the first two, but will now include a justice component.   The TRTA EU grant program has four components: trade policy, trade standards harmonization and sanitary/phytosanitary conformity, trade facilitation, and a rapid response facility.   The program contributes to reducing poverty in the Philippines by further integration of agriculture products into the international trade system. — VS/KG, GMA News