The European Union (EU) and the Republic of the Philippines have sealed a new cooperation agreement for the EU-Philippines Digital Economy Package, which will support the Philippines’ digital transition and technology innovation in crucial sectors: 5G, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI) in earth observation and digital connectivity.
This initiative is funded by a €20 million contribution from the EU, complemented by an additional €2 million from Finland and €600,000 from France.
This new cooperation is part of Global Gateway, the EU’s strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.
The EU and the Philippines share the commitment to leverage cutting-edge digital technologies for sustainable development. This digital collaboration aligns with the broader EU-Philippines agenda of fostering economic prosperity and will enhance safe and secure connectivity, benefiting people across both regions.
“This partnership marks a significant step forward in our commitment to support digital technology for societal advancement,” said EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro. “The EU is delighted to work with the Philippines in creating innovative solutions that promote inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.”
“This project will provide the Philippines with a secure and reliable digital connectivity infrastructure by enabling high-speed and real-time access to Copernicus data,” said newly appointed Finance Secretary Frederick Go. “This will allow the government to better prepare for natural disasters, respond faster in times of crisis, and provide immediate relief to Filipino families. And we need this now more than ever.”
A key component of the partnership will be to intensify the ongoing EU Copernicus Philippines program, which uses earth observation data to guide government policies and services on disaster risk reduction or environmental monitoring, as well as to improve private sector productivity. By applying AI to earth observation, the program will help the Philippine government develop new smart solutions for a range of policy issues — from food security to mapping infrastructure.
In line with Global Gateway’s emphasis on building connections between the EU and partner countries, the agreement will also foster collaboration among EU and Philippine universities on science and technological research and innovation.
The digital partnership will also focus on setting the basis for the digital transition through policy support for 5G technology, enhancing international and national digital connectivity across the Philippines by supporting the development of innovative applications and services that require ultrafast connectivity accessing the Copernicus data center. A priority area of work will be developing robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical infrastructures and services.
The Philippine Space Agency, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Office of Civil Defense will spearhead the execution of this partnership with European partners.
