EU envoys check results of aid in Northern Mindanao
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Diplomats from the European Union (EU) held a three-day mission in Northern Mindanao to track the outcomes of its various aid programs in the region.
The delegation, led by EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro, arrived here on Wednesday. He was joined by diplomats from 15 of the bloc’s member-states.
“We are pleased to visit Mindanao jointly for the first time. Since 2020, the EU has invested more than P9.6 billion (€140 million) in Mindanao, making it one of the largest grant contributors (in the region),” Santoro said.
According to Santoro, while each of them may have individually visited Mindanao various times, it was their first as a group, a practice that, he said, allows them to understand the region better and explore greater areas of cooperation.
One of the key areas of interest for the diplomats’ visit is the “Tri-City Justice Zone,” a coordinated legal network launched in September 2024 covering the Northern Mindanao cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Ozamiz aimed to hasten the response against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, which is rampant in these areas.
The EU supports the initiative through the Governance in Justice or GoJust program that introduce reforms in the delivery of justice.
Farming areas
The delegation also visited farming communities in Bukidnon province that benefited from the Support to Peace and Development in Mindanao (Spade) project, an initiative cofinanced by the EU and the German government.
Spade is helping Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao’s agriculture powerhouse, position itself as the “Arabica coffee capital of the Philippines.”
During their swing to Bukidnon, the EU diplomats held high-level discussions with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Bukidnon Gov. Rogelio Neil Roque, Bukidnon Reps. Jonathan Keith Flores and Jose Manuel Alba, and Impasugong Mayor Jetaime Okinlay-Gumban.
Later, they met with Mayor Rolando Uy of Cagayan de Oro City where the EU is supporting a project geared at promoting a green economy.
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