The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Lawrence Hardy II traveled to Davao from June 21 to 23 to meet with Philippine partners and recognize joint progress toward achieving the Philippines’ development objectives for Mindanao.
Hardy began his visit to Davao by announcing that USAID will extend its Mindanao Youth for Development (MYDev) project to areas surrounding Marawi City. The announcement was made during the Youth Development Alliance Summit, where public and private sector representatives and youth leaders applauded the accomplishments the MYDev project.
“Today is a celebration of five years of partnership, during which we have worked together to help uplift the lives of thousands of youth in Mindanao, particularly those affected by conflict,” said Hardy.
Since 2013, USAID’s MYDev has partnered with the Education Development Center to link almost 20,000 out-of-school youth to jobs, education, and training, ensuring the youth have opportunities to engage with their communities. MYDev’s extension will reach an additional 8,000 youth living in Balo-i, Saguiaran, and Iligan City.
Education governance
Hardy also met with officials from the Department of Education and local governments to mark the progress of USAID’s Education Governance Effectiveness (EdGE) project. Since 2013, the EdGE project, a partnership between USAID and the Synergia Foundation, has trained approximately 3,000 education administrators from Mindanao in planning, fiscal management, and utilization of local education funds.
As a result, school boards and local governments have strengthened their accountability and transparency and increased local funding for education, ultimately benefiting nearly 700,000 students. USAID is expanding the EdGE project to address barriers to accessing education faced by students displaced by the Marawi conflict, particularly girls. This will be done in partnership with local governments and schools in communities around Marawi that are hosting displaced families.
Environmental milestones
While in Davao City, Hardy marked other USAID milestones in Mindanao. Alongside local government officials and tribal leaders from Mt. Kitanglad, he launched “The Wisdom Keepers of Mt. Kitanglad,” a book documenting cultural practices and providing guidance on managing the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park. Since 2013, USAID has partnered with the Mt. Kiganglad area local governments and indigenous communities to protect the park and conserve the its natural resources. Today, nearly 400 USAID-trained indigenous people patrol the forests for threats and report geo-referenced data to local officials for action.
USAID’s work in Mindanao is helping families and communities pursue a more peaceful and prosperous future. USAID partners with government and civil society to expand economic opportunities for youth in vulnerable communities, protect life-sustaining natural resources, and improve access to quality social services.
