Summary of publication

This report summarises progress of the Philippines program during 2006–07.

In April 2006, the AusAID policy framework identified the Philippines as a country where aid efforts would be expanded. To implement this policy, a strategy for expanded aid was developed and agreed over the next nine months, and the new Australia–Philippines Development Assistance Strategy 2007–11 became operational in April 2007. The strategy bases Australia's aid on three pillars: economic growth, basic education, and national stability and human security. This report groups program initiatives under the three strategy pillars.

This annual program performance update captures the results of two program assessment exercises by AusAID staff. The first was a meeting in Canberra on 18 May, at which staff from Manila made presentations on the context and performance of key programs and discussed them with Canberra-based sectoral, operations and program staff. Following this, initiative managers prepared 'quality at implementation' reports for all major initiatives, with assistance from AusAID performance and quality experts.

The update also incorporates the findings of the October 2006 Rapid Assessment of the Philippines Country Strategy 2004–08. That assessment was undertaken by an independent team as part of the process for the new country strategy.

The preparation of this report has been a learning exercise. AusAID found that it can capture a range of program deliverables quite well, but we need to strengthen our monitoring and evaluation systems, in order to capture program outcomes and impacts. We also found that many of our programs have objectives that are not well specified, and often too broad for a meaningful discussion of impact. These weaknesses will be addressed.

Full publication

The Philippines annual program performance update 2006–07 [PDF 331 KB]