Philippines

The Asia Foundation’s programs in the Philippines promote better governance to support economic growth, strengthen the rule of law, and foster peace and development in Mindanao. Building on its wide network of partners, the Foundation is helping government, local NGOs, and the private sector to strengthen democratic institutions and create sustainable economic growth.

Country overview

Sam Chittick,
Country Representative

More Philippines staff »

Contact

The Asia Foundation – Philippines

33rd Floor, One San Miguel Avenue Building
San Miguel Avenue corner of Shaw Blvd.
Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines 1603

Tel: +63 (2) 722-9999
Email: philippines.general@asiafoundation.org

Coalitions for Change

Coalitions for Change (CfC) is the centerpiece of a partnership between the Australian Embassy and The Asia Foundation in the Philippines. CfC focuses on key policy reforms to improve lives of Filipinos and promote their economic well-being. CfC encourages civil society, private sector, academe, and government to work together and bring about public policies that contribute to development reform priorities for the Philippines. Since 2012, CfC has addressed development concerns consistent with the Philippines government’s agenda: promoting economic growth, reducing vulnerability, improving education outcomes, and advocating for effective governance.

A Momentous Moment for Mindanao

By Sam Chittick
January 16, 2019
Blog

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer, Philippines
January 20, 2019
Career

2019: The Year Ahead in Asia

The Asia Foundation
January 2, 2019
Blog

Disaster risk management—empowering frontline responders

The Philippines’ fund for disaster prevention and recovery was ineffective when Coalitions for Change (CfC), a Foundation partnership with the Australian Government, began to examine it in 2015. Since its creation in 2010, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRM), a crucial national resource, had allocated just 2 percent of its funds to local government preparedness programs. The problem was outdated rules that impeded local government access and emphasized disaster recovery over preparedness. In 2017, the Office of Civil Defense updated the NDRRM guidelines, streamlining local government access to the fund and shifting the focus from response and recovery to preparedness and mitigation.

Credit information system boon for business

Lack of reliable credit reporting has hindered Philippine businesses by preventing them from getting the credit they need to grow and create jobs. The Foundation’s COMPETE project, funded by USAID, developed a modern credit reporting service for formal lending institutions. COMPETE helped inaugurate the system, accredit six new credit bureaus, launch an educational campaign, and develop a privatization strategy. The new system is a milestone and has registered 1,385 data contributors, collecting 15 million records from four million individuals and companies, and four private credit bureaus are now operating in the country.