By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) Updated March 11, 2012 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Australia will provide over P5 billion in
development assistance to the Philippines for the current fiscal year,
focusing on economic growth, basic education, national stability and
human security.
Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell said on Friday during the
celebration of International Women's Month that Australia's ongoing and
future assistance would benefit Filipino women.
The Australian-assisted program in Mindanao that helps improve local
road infrastructure has also tapped village-based women's groups to
maintain and rehabilitate their roads.
Around 300 women in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur work with their
respective barangays on this program to improve road quality, guarantee
all-weather access and cut transport costs, especially during harvest time.
In the last seven years, the Australian embassy, through its Direct Aid
Program (DAP), has provided P7 million to 29 projects directly
benefiting women.
The program provided livelihood opportunities and training assistance to
women across the Philippines, from the women potters in Sagada to the
traditional weavers of South Cotabato.
DAP also supports projects that help protect women from abuse. It
assisted the National Council of Women in the Philippines produce
literature to help prevent violence against women, and the Hospicio de
San Jose to build a sanctuary for abused and disadvantaged women.
Australia is also supporting women's essential role as peace-builders in
communities torn by conflict, seeking to foster a stable and secure
environment for the equitable development of all.
For instance, they help the Mindanao Commission on Women, which has
formed more than 60 youth peace circles, where young women meet and work
towards integrating peace objectives in school and local policies.
"It is encouraging to see women all over the world are increasingly
empowered in so many aspects of their lives – career, family, health and
education. The situation has improved over recent years, though there is
still work to be done. As widely recognized, there is no factor more
important for the development of a country than the empowerment of its
women," Tweddell said.
The ambassador noted that "actively supporting women's full
participation in economic, social and political life is essential for
economic growth, good governance, reducing poverty, and meeting all the
Millennium Development Goal targets. The Australian government is proud
to support Filipino women, not just during women's month but also
throughout the year. We do this through a range of activities that
empower and strengthen women leaders and allow their voices to be heard."
This year, in line with the Philippine Commission on Women's theme for
this year's women's month – Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance
and Accountability, Everyone's Responsibility – the Australian embassy
is hosting a forum, in partnership with Oxfam, on the transformative
leadership role of women during disaster response and rebuilding efforts.
The Australian government's scholarship program provides opportunities
to Filipino women to excel academically and in their professions.
For example, Nastassja Ramos, a woman with a disability, is currently at
Monash University in Melbourne studying for a double master's degree in
Journalism and international relations.
"My personal research points me to Australia as the best in first world
education. There I can hone my skills as a journalist, and develop other
skills necessary for me to fulfill my dream of helping the
differently-abled in our midst," Ramos said.
Australia is a long-standing development partner of the Philippines and
the country's largest bilateral grant aid donor.
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