Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo signed and exchanged notes on October 30, 2009 at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City, which officially marks the appropriation of 3.35 billion yen (approximately 1.74 billion pesos) for the implementation of the Project for Improvement of the Meteorological Radar System.
This grant project aims to effectively prevent damages that tropical cyclones and other severe weather phenomena may cause, by enhancing the weather monitoring and weather information/warning dissemination capability of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The project includes the installation of meteorological data display systems, the establishment of data satellite communication systems, and the replacement of the three (3) existing Meteorological Radar Systems in Aparri, Cagayan; Virac, Catanduanes; and Guian, Samar with Doppler (S-band) Radar System.
It is expected that the project will contribute to the protection of lives and properties and help mitigate the devastation caused by tropical cyclones and other severe weather conditions through continuous and timely dissemination of accurate forecasts, warnings and advisories to disaster management agencies and mass media.
This project complements other forms of assistance already announced by the Japanese Government for the victims of tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng, which include: a) 4.5 million US dollars (approximately 210 million pesos) worth food assistance and logistical support through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP); b) 20 million yen (approximately 10 million pesos) worth emergency relief goods delivered through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on September 30 th ; c) up to 100 million yen (approximately 50 million pesos) contribution to Japanese NGOs' relief and medical missions, of which the Government of Japan covers a substantial part; and d) US$92,780 (approximately 4.4 million pesos) worth packs of food and non-food items that international NGO Christian Aid has delivered, utilizing the Embassy of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project.
Speech of Ambassador Makoto Katsura
Japanese Version
