Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO Alice Albright recently visited the Philippines for a four-day mission to rekindle MCC’s partnership with the Philippines and set the tone for a renewed collaboration.
“This visit gave us a wonderful opportunity to witness the long-term benefits of MCC partnership and deepen our relationship with the government, civil society, and the private sector,” Albright said. “We established many new friendships and visited old friends in the Bicol region and Manila during this productive visit. MCC looks forward to working with the Government of the Philippines to develop a strong new program to benefit the Filipino people.”
In December 2023, MCC’s Board of Directors selected the Philippines to develop a threshold program, creating an opportunity for MCC to partner with the Southeast Asian country on a policy and institutional reform program. The program will aim to support the Philippine government’s efforts to reduce poverty and encourage economic growth, while continuing to strengthen just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and social investment.
During her visit, Albright was joined by U.S. Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson for meetings with Philippines Secretary of Finance Ralph Recto, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, and Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority Arsenio Balisacan. They discussed the long-standing relationship between MCC and the Philippines, the recent threshold selection, and their commitment to the partnership.
Albright also engaged with the media and met with stakeholders from the private sector and civil society to discuss their ideas for reform that promotes economic growth for all Filipinos.
MCC’s previous work with the Government of the Philippines includes a former threshold program that concluded in 2009 and a compact that concluded in 2016. The program resulted in the construction of a road that withstood one of the strongest typhoons in history and became a lifeline for one of the poorest parts of the country. Another notable outcome was a community-driven development activity that funded nearly 4,000 small-scale community development projects in rural, high-poverty areas.
Albright had the opportunity to visit one of those projects – San Antonio Elementary School in the rural Bicol Region. She read a storybook to students and spoke with teachers, community leaders, and Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development officials who have worked to enhance school programs since MCC funded a classroom expansion project in 2015. The school expansion was part of the Kalahi-CIDSS project, which supported community-led solutions to issues identified by residents. Nine years later the bright, cheery, restroom-equipped classrooms continue to enrich the lives of rural children and over-age students who have not previously had consistent educational opportunities.
“Previously we only had one seven by nine-foot classroom for all sixth graders. This project enabled sixth-grade classes to be divided into two,” said Principal Eden Yanson. “It makes education more manageable and instruction more effective.”
MCC is committed to its new partnership with the Philippines and looks forward to working with experts from the Philippine Government to develop a reform program that supports inclusive economic growth.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government development agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants that pair investments in infrastructure with policy and institutional reforms to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.
[photo credit: Millenium Challenge via X (@MCCgov)]
