The European Union-Philippines Green Economy Partnership has signed award letters with Iligan City, Island Garden City of Samal, and Zamboanga City to provide technical and feasibility study funding for inclusive circular economy public-private partnerships (PPPs). The three local government units from Mindanao will receive support to develop feasibility studies for circular PPPs and training on PPP management, with a focus on gender, diversity and social inclusion mechanisms to integrate informal waste workers. The pilot projects aim to address local infrastructure and environmental needs while serving as replicable models for future green PPP initiatives across the Philippines.
EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro stated that the signature represents an important milestone in the EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership and the EU Global Gateway investment agenda, supporting inclusive circular economy PPPs that bring investments to local communities and allow the private sector to address circularity and waste issues with local governments. The training and selection process was coordinated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines (PPP Center), with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as observers.
Toni Flores, Project Leader for the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership, said circular PPPs can drive local green transformation by creating bridges between public and private sectors, allowing local governments to access technical and financial support to increase sustainability and bankability of circular projects. PPP Center Executive Director Undersecretary Rizza Blanco-Latorre added that PPPs unlock expertise, innovation, and investments needed to transform waste management and resource recovery, enabling operational efficiency, technology transfer, and improved service delivery.
The EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership is an EU-funded programme under the Global Gateway Strategy, running from 2023 to 2028 with a PHP 3.67 billion (EUR 60 million) grant from the European Union. It links European and Filipino partners from the private sector and local governments to foster a circular economy, reduce plastic waste, improve energy efficiency, promote renewable energy, and support climate change mitigation and adaptation. The programme is implemented by Expertise France and co-implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute, co-led by the DTI in partnership with the PPP Center.
Stakeholder impact: The three pilot cities gain technical expertise and feasibility studies for circular economy projects, potentially attracting private investment and improving waste management. The Philippine government, through DTI and PPP Center, strengthens institutional capacity for PPP development and implementation. The private sector gains opportunities to participate in green infrastructure projects with reduced risk due to feasibility support. Informal waste workers may benefit from inclusion mechanisms, though the extent depends on implementation. The EU advances its Global Gateway investment agenda in the Philippines, promoting circular economy and climate objectives.
No prior coverage of this specific initiative exists in recent EU Matrix archives.