• Focus the Australian aid program on the agreed priorities of the Australian and Philippine Governments as they seek to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and enhance stability through partnering for education reforms, enhancing the foundations for sustained economic growth, promoting better disaster preparedness, improving conditions for peace and security and building stronger institutions for accountable and inclusive development.
• Further our education partnership through the AU$150 million Basic Education Sector Transformation program. This will support the introduction of the K to 12 Basic Education Program, transforming children’s lives and supporting efforts to harmonize education standards across ASEAN.
• Contribute an additional US$2.5 million from Australia to expand Public Private Partnership projects to deliver better services to Filipinos and increase private sector investment in key infrastructure projects. This will enhance the engines of economic growth by connecting people to markets through vital infrastructure.
• Continue cooperation on the Philippines’ long-term reconstruction and recovery efforts. At the same time, promote long term and better disaster preparedness to mitigate the social and economic shocks of disasters.
• Strengthen the governance of public institutions, including by helping embed economic and public finance reforms, and improve opportunities for women and girls to benefit equally from economic growth.

Defence and Security co-operation
The Secretaries and Ministers agreed that the Philippines and Australia would maintain and deepen bilateral co-operation on defence and security matters, following the entry into force of the Philippines-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in 2012.

The Secretaries and Ministers noted the SOVFA’s successful implementation via training in Australia for Philippine defence personnel and the deployment of Australian Defence Force assets and personnel to support Typhoon Yolanda relief operations.

The Secretaries and Ministers agreed to:

• Continue annual meetings of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee.
• Convene Bilateral Counter-Terrorism Consultations in the first half of 2014.