Australia offers help to accelerate Philippine infra development

MANILA  -The Australian government launched the Philippine leg of its Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), meant to help strengthen its Philippine counterpart’s financing strategies, regulatory frameworks and technology choices for developing infrastructure.

Launched in 2020 with an intended four-year life, P4I is also operating in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. There is also such a partnership between Canberra and the Jakarta-based Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Five organizations are behind P4I—Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), EY, The Asia Foundation, Adam Smith International and Ninti One.

Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu said at the launch rites at the Conrad Manila in Pasay City that considering the demand for P4I work, the initiative would likely go beyond the initial timeframe.

Yu said that infrastructure development is complex and that each challenge has a unique solution tailored to each partner’s needs and local context.

“P4I provides connections to Australian infrastructure skills and expertise, exemplifying Australia’s longstanding friendship with the Philippines and our commitment to mutual growth in Southeast Asia,” Yu said.

She said that through P4I, the Philippine government can access a range of experts to support infrastructure decision-making and practice, particularly in the early stage of the project cycle.

“Prioritization, planning and procurement is not exciting like when you cut the red ribbon [to inaugurate a completed project],” Yu said. “But it is the most important part of the infrastructure cycle.”

—Ronnel W. Domingo