Despite ongoing corruption scandals, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) expressed continued confidence in the Philippines and reaffirmed its commitment to actively assist the government in resolving issues.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Arangkada Philippines investment forum on Thursday, Sept. 25, ADB Country Director Andrew Jerries noted that the bank has been cautious in implementing its projects.

“Our role is to try to help our developing member countries’ governments solve problems,” he told reporters. “We have all these things in place to make sure our project funds go where they're meant to go.”

Jeffries said several other projects are still awaiting board approval and government signing this year, including the Business Environment Strengthening with Technology (BEST) program, which works closely with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), the Department of the Interior (DOI), and other agencies.

Jeffries emphasized that the ADB has allotted $500 million for the BEST Program in the Philippines. 

In May 2025, BEST Program in the Philippines reported $400 million. “The proposed program will support and strengthen the government’s efforts to enhance and improve the business environment, to achieve higher business formation and investment rates. This will boost competitiveness and private sector development, stimulating job creation and expanding economic opportunity,” ADB said.

Specifically, “the program will reduce regulatory burden and increase transparency, facilitate investment in sectors with strong development impacts, and advance the transition to digital government,” the ADB added.

Currently, ADB has one ongoing flood management initiative covering two river basins in Mindanao and one in Northern Luzon. A larger project is also in the pipeline, expected to support more extensive flood protection efforts in the coming years.

“We have a rolling pipeline of ongoing projects and future projects,” he said, adding that the bank also plans to undertake master planning for 13 river basins nationwide. “The next step after that is to design investment projects and cost them.”

He emphasized that given the growing needs, ADB may be asked to expand its role further. Citing Metro Manila’s flood woes as an example, he pointed out that clogged waterways and nonfunctional pumping stations aggravate flooding — an area where ADB could provide solutions, although it is not yet directly involved in the capital’s flood-control projects.

Meanwhile, during the panel discussion, Jeffries stated that the ADB’s approach is to align its support with the Philippine government’s priorities. He emphasized three key pillars under this strategy.

The first is human capital development, which he described as essential to making the Philippines more competitive in the long term. “Without technical vocational education and training, skilling, and primary, secondary, tertiary education, the long-term competitiveness of the Philippines will be at risk”. This administration has put a lot of importance into human capital development,” he noted.

The second pillar is infrastructure development, with the ADB involved in several major infrastructure projects in the country, including more in the pipeline. Jeffries pointed out that logistical costs account for about 27 percent of the overall cost of goods in the Philippines, underscoring the need to improve infrastructure to enhance competitiveness.

He also noted that in Java, Indonesia’s economic hub, intermodal linkages between roads, rail, and ports are somewhat more advanced than in the Philippines.

“And this administration, I think, has gone into overdrive here to rectify that situation. So that's a big part of our program is working on those types of infrastructure projects, and it gets back to overall competitiveness,” he added

The third pillar is disaster resilience, which he said remains critical given the Philippines’ high vulnerability to natural calamities. “There’s a storm coming as we speak, so I don’t need to say much about the importance of this pillar,” he said.

(Ricardo M. Austria)