Spanish aid comes to Northern Mindanao

Spanish development assistance to Northern Mindanao is coming in — and even increasing.

Recently, Spain gave P32 million in aid to the Community Health Program in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur, both in the Caraga region in northeast Mindanao, which were chosen by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion International (AECI) for being the poorest in the country.

AECI, the Spanish agency for technical cooperation, expects the public health care program to run for a period of three years and to be completed by the last quarter of 2004.

The program aims to improve the local health care system and health practices in selected communities in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

The P32-million check was given by Spanish Ambassador Tomas Rodriguez-Pantoja to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), the local counterpart organization.

PNRC’s role

The PNRC will be implementing the health care program in coordination and in partnership with the Cruz Roja Española (Spanish Red Cross).

One of the main components of the health care program is a sustained information, education and communication campaign for environmental sanitation and preventive health strategy, complemented by the provision of safe water and sanitary systems needed for the effective control of water-borne and infectious diseases.

Another major aspect is manpower capability development with the training of barangay health workers who will provide quality primary health care.

The training of health workers will also complement the construction and/or rehabilitation of health stations or centers which will be provided with modern medical equipment and supplies.

Finally, community organizing and training of multisectoral groups to support health care activities will now allow communities to identify, implement and sustain health initiatives by mobilizing their own resources.

Camiguin aid

Still in Northern Mindanao, the province of Camiguin was another recent beneficiary of Spanish aid.

The country’s smallest island-province received a grant for its integrated water supply and management. Ambassador Rodriguez-Pantoja earlier handed over a P38-million check in the presence of President Arroyo.

Over the past decade, some $6.2 million has been outlayed for Camiguin’s sustainable development, making Spain its single biggest grant-donor.

The involvement of the Spanish government in Camiguin began in 1990 with the Spanish Assistance for Integrated Livelihood (SAIL) Program, the flagship project of the Cooperacion Española in the country.

On top of the P38-million grant for the water supply system of Camiguin, there will be additional financial assistance to further help the island-province recover from the ravages of a killer typhoon this year.

Once the technical study on the extent of damage requested by Spain has been completed, more aid funds will be given to augment the P6-million emergency aid released earlier.

The Philippines enjoys a top priority of Spanish development assistance. From 1998 to 2000 alone, the AECI provided grants amounting to P1 billion, representing 70 percent of the total aid given to the Asian region.

From 2001 to 2003, the amount was recently increased by 40 percent to P1.4 billion.