THE Philippines and the European Union (EU) signed an agreement to boost connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI) for earth observation, which will aid the Philippines鈥 disaster-response efforts, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.
In a statement on Thursday, the DoF said the EU鈥慞hilippines Digital Economy Package supports the Philippine digital transition and advances the development of 5G, cybersecurity, AI鈥憄owered earth observation, and digital connectivity.
The EU-Philippines Digital Economy Package is funded by a 20-million-euro contribution from the EU, complemented by an additional 2 million euros from Finland and 600,000 euros from France.
鈥淭his project will provide the Philippines with a secure and reliable digital connectivity infrastructure by enabling high-speed and real-time access to Copernicus data,鈥 Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said.
Copernicus is聽the EU鈥檚 Earth observation program.
Mr. Go said the agreement will allow the government to better prepare for natural disasters, respond faster in times of crisis, and provide immediate relief to affected families.
The Philippines was named the world鈥檚 most disaster-prone聽country for a 21st聽straight year, according to the World Risk Index, with聽typhoons and floods battering聽communities every year.
鈥淭his partnership marks a significant step forward in our commitment to support digital technology for societal advancement. The EU is delighted to work with the Philippines in creating innovative solutions that promote inclusive and sustainable digital transformation鈥 EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro said.聽
The DoF said among the crucial elements of the partnership is the expansion of the EU Copernicus Philippines program, which uses earth鈥憃bservation data to shape government policy on disaster risk reduction and environmental monitoring, while also supporting private鈥憇ector productivity
AI-enhanced earth observation will help the government develop new smart solutions for a range of policy issues 鈥 from food security to mapping infrastructure, it added. 鈥 Aubrey Rose A. Inosante
