Letter from the EU Ambassador

Letter from the EU Ambassador:

The EU and our work in the Philippines continued to draw head-lines during the past week.

Indeed, we are supporting the Philippines on many different fronts. We are working closely with the Department of Health on fighting drug abuse in the Philippines. Our initial support concentrates on one area where we, the EU, has outstanding strength; namely identification of International and National best practices in drug treatment practices. The Philippines and the EU are part of the international community where we learn from each other, we share experiences and we work together to address shared problem. Drug abuse is a shared problem, and it has international and national dimensions.

Our support to the Department of Health falls under our general development cooperation programme. Every year the EU supports developments in the Philippines to the tune of PHP 3 billion. A major part is in the Heath Sector, another major part is in the Justice Sector. Our cooperation takes place hand in hand with the concerned government Departments and Agencies. Just yesterday, I met Secretary Dureza of OPAPP to discuss how the EU best could support the implementation of a peace agreement in Mindanao. When we support, we do so in an open and transparent manner, emphasizing, of course, the basic values and objectives of the EU, be it fighting climate change, reducing poverty, improving the situation of women or human rights.

The main driver of our economic interaction is the EU private sector. Next week in Manila there will be an EU-Philippines Business Summit bringing 300 business people together. I am looking forward to that event. Keep in mind that the EU economy represents more than 25% of the World’s GDP. The EU is big, more than 500 million people, with a per capita income of 35.000 USD. The EU is colossal in economic terms. With the exception of the US, few countries reach half the size of the EU in economic terms. This means that the scope for economic interaction between a developing Philippines and a mature EU is large. It is this potential we seek to unleash at the Business Summit.

There is a lot work to be done, for all of us. But we should not forget that in the end we work to have a better life. This weekend I will continue reading ‘Dusk’ (Po-On) by F Sionil Jose. I was impressed seeing that his mother showed him the value of reading despite the hardship they lived in. Values are what bring societies forward, and reading enriches life. Dusk is a historical novel describing the late 19th century. Not only am I learning about the colonial times and problems, but I am also getting to know Pangasinan much better. ●