15 March 2008 – Ambassador Willy C. Gaa and a key official of the Millennium Challenge Corporation met on March 12 and agreed that the selection of the Philippines as a Compact Eligible Country was another milestone in the long history of close partnership between the Philippines and the United States.

After his meeting with Mr. John Hewko, MCC Vice President for Compact Development, Ambassador Gaa said that he and Mr. Hewko agreed that “the selection of the Philippines as a Compact eligible country marks a new era in RP-US relations and cooperation and that this is another milestone in this close partnership.”

Ambassador Gaa and Philippine Embassy officials met with MCC Vice President Hewko and the MCC Compact Development Team today at MCC’s corporate headquarters in Washington DC to discuss the initial steps that have to be taken towards eventually singing a Compact Agreement.  On 11 March 2008, the MCC Board selected the Philippines as a Compact eligible country.  The MCC Board determines eligibility for this large-scale grant funding based on independent indicators that measure good governance, the country’s investments in its people and policies that encourage economic freedom.

“We had a very good meeting.  The MCC is very eager to start the process towards signing a Compact Agreement,” Ambassador Gaa said after the meeting. “The MCC is very positive about the Philippines and believes that the Philippine will produce and excellent Compact Proposal.  They are confident that that we will be able to successfully implement our Compact Agreement,” the Ambassador added.

Ambassador Gaa said that the MCC Compact Development Team is looking forward to its initial visit to the Philippines so “we can get an early start in the process toward the signing of a Compact Agreement”.

“This initial visit will serve to familiarize the Philippine Government with the Compact Development process and for the MCC team members to familiarize themselves with the country,” Ambassador Gaa explained.  He added that the MCC Compact Development Team hopes to be in the Philippines as early as next month.

The two officials also discussed the importance of broad based consultations in developing the Compact Proposal and in eventually implementing Compact Projects.

“The MCC is well aware that ours is a vibrant democracy where all sectors of Philippine society have a voice.  We have very active peoples’ organizations and our own Constitution recognizes the important role of peoples’ organizations.  Both the Philippines and the MCC are looking forward to engaging all parties in developing the Philippine Compact Proposal,” Ambassador Gaa said. END.