Philippine Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan called on the Honorable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation on 3 April 2012 at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in Gatineau City, Quebec, with the end in view of strengthening bilateral development cooperation in sustainable economic growth, governance and other priority areas aligned with the Philippine Development Plan.

"How can Canada help?" was both the question and offer posed by Minister Oda that set the tone for the meeting between the Embassy and CIDA. Despite federal budget cuts ahead of the renewal of CIDA's programming for the Philippines, Minister Oda affirmed that Canada was a "strong supporter of the Philippines" and remains open to helping the country. Government efforts to maintain democracy and to address accountability issues, she said, have given rise to a favorable Canadian disposition towards the Philippines. Minister Oda welcomed government efforts to build capacity and believed the Philippines to be on "the right track" towards sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

For his part, Ambassador Gatan conveyed the Philippines` gratitude for the emergency humanitarian assistance extended to flood-affected victims of Typhoon Washi in late 2011. In response, Minister Oda further praised the Philippine government for "responding quickly" and for having developed "a good system of civil defense up to the grassroots level."

Following the Ambassador's briefing on PHL-Canada two-way trade as well as the positive developments in and challenges to Philippine economy, the Minister applauded the performance of the Philippines as a development partner of Canada relative to other beneficiary countries of CIDA. She also noted the significant contribution of Fil-Canadians to the Philippine economy in terms of money transfers comprising about 20% of the total US$20.1 Billion in remittances by overseas Filipinos.

The Ambassador underscored the importance of aligning CIDA priorities with the Philippine Development Plan (2011-2016) to create more synergies leading to projects with greater impact. Minister Oda manifested openness to other areas of cooperation besides the traditional focus on governance and sustainable economic growth. Among the possible areas accordingly explored were demand-driven curricula for a more productive workforce, food and agriculture (e.g., cold storage for Philippine produce), support for PHL participation in trade fairs abroad, capacity and technical training relative to an enabling environment for economic growth as well as planning to offset urban migration. Minister Oda assured the Ambassador that CIDA will work on developing new initiatives in the Philippines after a review of the country program.

The idea of a "Philippine Fund" was also put forth given the large Filipino diaspora in Canada which could be tapped as a source of both venture and angel funding. Minister Oda explained that, while CIDA itself cannot build railways, roads, and bridges, Canadian companies may do so and looks to more public-private partnerships to accomplish the task.

Minister Oda looked forward to future projects in the Philippine in furtherance of governance, accountability and transparency. In helping partner countries create growth and jobs, CIDA assists governments with their own policies and enforcing regulations. By doing so, CIDA hopes to help enhance the business environment and provide the added credibility and accountability that would be bound to attract more foreign investment into the Philippines. END