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Australia and the Philippines are moving to upgrade their cooperation from a comprehensive to a strategic one, with an emphasis on responding to a fast-changing security environment in the area. Engagements are projected to rise in 2023 and beyond.

The Australian ambassador to the Philippines, HK Yu PSM, stated this week in an exclusive interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the two countries hope to formally establish their strategic alliance “this year.”

“The elevation of the relationship, in a lot of ways, acknowledges the complicated environment we live in. There is no doubt that the area in which the Philippines and Australia reside is growing more and more difficult.

The pressure on the international legal system, according to her, is “the kind we haven’t seen since the end of World War II.”

“You only need to consider what is occurring in Ukraine. The awful, unethical, and illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine. And you have to watch the types of operations taking place right at our front door in the South China Sea to understand how crucial true friends and strategic partners are, she added.

We also need our friends, true friends, partners, and good neighbors working even closer together in that kind of environment, she continued, and this strategic alliance is actually in acknowledgment of that.

When asked what Canberra anticipated from these strengthened ties, the envoy gave a clear response.

We want to better integrate our economies as part of the strategic alliance, she continued, “because, at the end of the day, economic power is your strategic power.”

Australia should work to make the Philippines strong, resilient, and successful because only then can our region be a place of stability, prosperity, and security, she continued.

According to her, Australia is willing to assist Manila in its post-pandemic rehabilitation so that both countries can gain from increased economic ties.

Yu also anticipated Manila would view Australia as a “partner of choice” when purchasing Australia’s assets once the strategic relationship had been announced.

She gave the example of vessels to monitor Philippine waters and added, “For example, if there is something that we can produce, we really would like the Philippines to choose us.”

Adaptive collaboration

Australia and Manila are already “comprehensive partners” in a number of areas, including the peace process in Mindanao, agricultural research, education, women’s empowerment, defense and security, and trade, among others.

Canberra provides the nation with roughly AUD90 million in development aid each year, at least 47% of which goes directly toward fostering peace in the south.

According to the Australian Embassy, the Philippines got around PHP3.1 billion in ODA from 2022 to 2023 alone.

This comprises PHP2.5 billion in bilateral financing to promote equitable economic growth, notably through social protection programs for the most vulnerable and underprivileged, and to lessen risks to “regional security and peacebuilding efforts in Mindanao.”

On the other hand, global and regional initiatives would receive the remaining PHP648 million.

According to the Australian Embassy, the Marcos administration’s plan for long-term growth is consistent with this “longstanding and responsive” development assistance.

The Philippines is the focus of Australia’s fifth-largest global development program. Many people are shocked that Australia pays the Philippines such close attention when I mention this, Yu added.

We spent more time recently in Mindanao as a result of the Marawi siege [in 2017] because we were actually there with you at the time.

Yu stated that Australia would continue to help the Bangsamoro peace efforts and that it is actually developing a new program to do so.

Because we understand that there is still work to be done, Australia truly wants to continue to express its support. Additionally, it is crucial that all supporting nations are present to offer assistance throughout the coming years, according to her.

The independent decommissioning body would be the focus of the new support, the envoy added without going into further detail.

“The area has a lot of natural resources. Therefore, if you can successfully achieve and maintain peace, you have a fantastic potential to attract foreign investment, she remarked.

READ: Australian government will aid PH in luring infrastructure investments

Canberra also responds to Manila’s development aspirations in a comprehensive manner.

The Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research has committed AUD4.5 million, or roughly PHP162 million, for the fiscal years 2022 to 2023 in order to increase the productivity, marketability, and competitiveness of the nation’s agricultural products as well as to safeguard the rural poor from climate change.

“We have about 220 projects where the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research has been actively working with the Philippines, on projects that really matter,” Yu added. This spans a period of four decades.

They have actually accomplished a lot of things, which are now translating into tangible economic benefits for the Philippines. And we’ll keep doing that,” she affirmed.

Australia places a significant priority on education in the Philippines.

It has so far helped establish and modify the Department of Education’s systems and structures, among other things, as well as build 509 classrooms nationwide.

Additionally, it offers scholarships to Filipino students each year.

Given Manila’s significance to Canberra, Yu stated that Manila continues to receive a “big share” of the slots allotted for the Australia Awards.

So, she explained, “this is what we are trying to do to make sure that we’re just giving Filipinos a different type of education and experience by actually living in Australia for that one or two years.”

Eight years after the joint declaration on comprehensive cooperation was made in 2015, Australia and the Philippines are expected to take action to elevate their relationship to a new level in 2023.

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