'Greening' economy tops EU Commission’s agenda in first Philippine visit

MANILA, Philippines — The European Commission bared its plans to invest in supporting the Philippine economy’s green transition, as the historic visit on Monday spotlighted the country’s growing relations with the EU. 

EC president Ursula von der Leyen, who is in the country for a two-day visit, launched the Team Europe Initiative on Green Economy alongside President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday. The national government said this was the first-ever visit of a president of the European Commission.

The initiative marked a significant improvement in relations, which had nearly frozen to a halt during former president Rodrigo Duterte's time in office. Duterte's violent campaign against illegal drugs, which killed tens of thousands of Filipinos by some estimates, had drawn widespread criticism from the EU, which criticized the Philippines for human rights abuses.

Malacañang said on Monday that the Philippines is set to receive a grant worth €60 million, which the European Commission said will support “the transition to a circular economy and the generation of green energy.” 

The program also included providing expertise, training and tech transfers in a bid to “empower local communities,” according to von der Leyen.

The EC said in a statement that the green investment initiative also includes pushing a model for plastic waste management and crafting a circular economy policy for the Philippines. 

Likewise, the efforts come at a crucial period for the Philippines to accelerate its renewable energy transition. The national government is keen on boosting renewables in its current energy mix, which it hopes will hit 35% share by 2030.

The EC president’s visit to the Philippines also spotlighted Marcos Jr’s efforts since the start of his term in 2022 to boost relations with Western nations, as the country mounted its largest military exercises with American soldiers earlier this year. Marcos Jr’s predecessor, Duterte, nearly shunned Western influence during his term as he cooled relations with China despite ongoing territorial tensions. 

The two-day visit was also bookended by various deals, as von der Leyen said scoping exercises for a free trade agreement between the Philippines and the European Commission commenced. — Ramon Royandoyan