 [source:
ODA Annual Report 2001]
| Signing of the Government
of Japan's
$400-
Million Mindanao Support Package |
|
“Japan
would like to actively cooperate in reducing
poverty and preventing conflicts in Mindanao”
|
January 2002, in Singapore
Prime Minister J. Koizumi
|
As the top donor in Mindanao, Japan, with a mid- and
long-term vision, is firmly committed to assisting conflict
and poverty-stricken Mindanao whose peace and development
is deemed vital for peace and prosperity not only in
the Philippines but also in Asia. In fact, the
accumulative amount of Japan’s assistance for
Mindanao has reached 2.8 billion dollars with 166 projects.
In August 2003, Japan revised its ODA
charter to define peace building as one of the priority
issues. Accordingly, Japan will further strengthen its
peace-building efforts with a view to preventing conflicts,
promoting an end of conflicts, assisting consolidation
of peace and nation-building in post-conflict situations
in all parts of the world, including Mindanao.
Peace and development in Mindanao has been the major
subject of discussion in the donor community, and Japan,
together with the UNDP,
co-chairs the Mindanao Donors’ Group meeting where
donors exchange views and information on their development
efforts in Mindanao.
Japan’s assistance for Mindanao
since the 1996 peace agreement between the Government
of the Philippines and the MNLF is summarized below.
1. Overview
Japan has implemented 137 projects totaling 270 billion
yen (approximately 2.5 billion dollars) to Mindanao
in all the provinces in Mindanao in virtually all sectors
such as transportation system, agriculture, health,
environmental protection, disaster prevention, and human
resource development.
(1)
Yen loan
Japan has launched 28 projects totaling 263.3 billion
yen (2.5 billion dollars), such as Rehabilitation of
Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway that runs through
the entire Philippines, Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation
that contributed to enhancing agricultural productivity
in the area as well as demobilizing Muslim combatants
and reintegrating them into society.
(2) Grant Aid
Japan has launched 8 projects totaling 6.9 billion yen
(approximately 62 million dollars) including the Malaria
Control Project, the Project for Equipment Supply for
Road Construction in Western Mindanao, the Project for
Improvement of Educational Facilities, the Construction
and Equipping of the Davao Medical Center Project.
(3) Development
Survey
Japan has conducted 7 development surveys such as the
Study on Provincial Water Supply, Sewage and Sanitation
Sector Plans and the Study on Development of Agrarian
Reform Communities in Marginal Areas in the Republic
of the Philippines.
(4) Technical
Cooperation
Japan has conducted 12 technical cooperation projects
such as the ARMM Participatory Health Administration
training course. Moreover, Japan assigned an ODA advisor
to the ARMM Government.
(5) Grant Assistance for
Grassroots Projects
Japan has implemented 77 projects totaling 340 million
yen (approximately 3 million dollars)
(6) Assistance through Multilateral Organizations
Japan has implemented 5 projects through the Japan Fund
to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, including
livelihood projects for women and indigenous people.
2. Support
Package for Peace and Stability in Mindanao
Committed to assistance for Mindanao for the purpose
of alleviating poverty and consolidating peace, Prime
Minister Koizumi announced the “Support Package
for Peace and Stability in Mindanao” amounting
to 44 billion yen (400 million dollars) during the state
visit of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
to Japan last December. The Support Package includes
loan aid for the ARMM Social Fund for Peace and Development
totaling 2.47 billion yen (approximately 23 million
dollars) and Sector-program Grant Aid totaling 1.5 billion
yen (approximately 14 million dollars).
3. Additional Support
Recognizing the need to help the poor and internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Mindanao and the importance
of supporting peace talks between the Government of
the Philippines and the MILF, the Government of Japan
announced new assistance in 2003 in addition to the
Support Package, while steadily implementing already-pledged
projects.
(1) The Central Mindanao Road Project
totaling 3717 million yen (approximately 33 million
dollars) is expected to create jobs in conflict affected
areas as well as improve distribution system for agricultural
products, thus contributing to poverty reduction.
(2) 7 Grassroots Projects including assistance to internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Central Mindanao and in
Jolo and provision of educational facilities, barangay
health stations and agricultural support in the ARMM
region.
(3) Dispatch of an ODA advisor to the ARMM Government
and various training for ARMM Government officials.
(4) Basic Study of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Recognizing the need to provide assistance in the post-peace
agreement phase in a timely manner, Japan, in collaboration
with the Government of the Philippines, has been conducting
a basic study of the ARMM region in the area of health,
education, agriculture, basic infrastructure (roads
and bridges), water supply and governance since July
2003.
ARMM Support Plan:
- The Central Mindanao Road Project
PHP1.69 Billion through JBIC
 
- Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots
Projects (GAGP)
- Technical Assistance
JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)
- A month- long pilot training course for 30
agriculture technicians from ARMM at PhilRice
Nueva Ecija
- A two- week course for another 200 agriculture
techiicians From ARMM at PhilRice Maguindanao
For more information, contact the Embassy
of Japan by email (keizai8@japanembassy.ph) |
