IN an effort to help reduce risk should another disaster hit the country, the European Union (EU) has approved yet again an additional grant of P125M for projects to be implemented in the local regions that will help the country prepare for disasters.
Prior to the recent grant, it was reported that the EU had already approved about P226.7 million humanitarian assistance for the victims of the storms Ondoy and Pepeng which left the country devastated last year.
Recently, EU became a trading partner of the country last July 25 through the Partnership Cooperation Agreement. This is in line with the Aquino admininistration’s continued crusade in exposing the country to different business trade opportunities that includes trade agreements with different countries for the ultimate goal of obtaining greater revenues.
As soon as President Aquino stepped into office, the new administration has been maintaining good trust rates from the public, thus, reflecting a positive perception of the country to other nations as well.
The Department of Foreign Affairs also expressed hope that the much delayed RP-Millenium Exchange Corporation (MCC) of the United States will be signed soon. The MCC, chaired by US Secretary Hillary Clinton, is a five-year program that will grant $434 million to alleviate poverty and corruption.
In a statement made by Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, the country is also expressing interest in participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) a multi-lateral free trade deal that will involve several economies like Australia, Singapore and the US among others.
Ramon Kabigting, assistant trade secretary and director of the Bureau of Internal Trade Relations said, “We want to penetrate these [US and EU] markets. Of course, they’ll also penetrate ours, but a balance is something that we’ll have to achieve. It will all depend on how well we negotiate and develop an infrastructure to pursue these agreements.”
Although some doubt the current administration, the government is continuing its pursuit of gaining public trust by showing transparency and eagerness for economic progress.
It is an unfortunate fact that when somebody speaks of the “Philippines,” the words corruption, poor and anomalies are unavoidable; thus, producing skeptics who are convinced the country is a lost cause. Progress is best achieved with help. And acknowledging help from others does not imply weakness; but rather demonstrates humility. The Philippines is a country full of potential, that is why foreign countries decide to consider it as partner. Accepting help from other countries is not at all charity, it should he viewed as an opportunity to strengthen local-foreign relationships. (AJPress)
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( Published July 5, 2010 in Asian Journal Las Vegas p. A6 )
