MANILA, Philippines (27 March 2025). The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Expertise France to forward public-private partnership for a green and circular economy as part of the Specific Objective (SO) 3 of the European Union-funded Green Economy Programme in the Philippines (GEPP).
The symbolic MoU signing is represented by the PPP Center Executive Director Ma. Cynthia C. Hernandez, and the EU-GEPP SO3 for Green Business, Infrastructure, and Finance Project Leader, Marie-Maylis Charlat from Expertise France.
This partnership specifically targets the programme SO3’s Output 2 supporting green infrastructure projects which aims to engage private sector in green infrastructure projects for an enhanced waste management and circular economy system.
Expertise France, through the EU-GEPP, will support the PPP Center by providing technical support to enhance capacity of Local Government Units (LGUs) in identifying and evaluating potential PPP projects for solid waste management (SMW), and by providing financial support for feasibility studies of such projects. Ultimately, Expertise France’s support will aim to integrating green, social, and gender inclusivity criteria into PPP projects for SWM, while assisting in implementing actions that promote the integration of informal waste workers in SWM infrastructure.
Background information
Funded by a EUR 60 million (₱3.67 billion) grant from the European Union, the EU-Philippine Green Economy Partnership is a programme under the EU Global Gateway initiative that runs from 2023-2028 in collaboration with the national government, local government units (LGUs), and the private sector. The Programme links European and Filipino partners to foster a circular economy and the reduction of plastic waste. It also aims to improve energy efficiency, promote renewable energy use and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Using a whole-of-nation approach, the programme is focused on sustainable and inclusive growth through technology transfers, investments and job creation.
The programme is implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as the overall lead agency, in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Energy. The government agencies are supported by the technical partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Germany's development agency GIZ, Expertise France with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – a member of the World Bank Group. The programme is aligned with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate change policies, including the negotiations on the Global Plastic Treaty. The EU-PH Green Economy Partnership will mobilise over 466 million euros (₱29 billion) co-funded by the EU and some of its Member States in support of green transition programmes and instruments in the Philippines, from development finance to inclusive circular economy projects.
Expertise France, the French technical cooperation agency which is part of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) group, leads the Green Economy Partnership’s Strategic Objective Three: Green Business, Infrastructure, and Finance, which involves interventions supporting the emergence of eco startups and the establishment of green public-private partnerships, the integration of the informal waste sector in solid waste management, and building the interest of the finance sector to invest in high-potential green businesses.