Honorable Isidro Zayco

Governor of Negros Occidental

 

Honorable Mae Javellana

Provincial Board Member

 

Honorable Bernedette Somcio

Member, Bago City Council; representative of Mayor Ramon Torres

 

Honorable Alfedo Marañon

Mayor, Sagay City; President, OISCA-Philippines

 

Honorable German Saraña

Mayor, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental

 

Hon. Mario Samillano

Barangay Captain, Tabunan, Bago City

 

Distinguished representatives from Government Agencies

 

Mr. Shigemi Watanabe

Director of OISCA-Bago Training Center

 

OISCA staff members,

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Good afternoon.

 

I have the pleasure of representing the Government of Japan in today's ceremonial turnover of cocoon cooking machines under the “Donation of Used Equipment to Negros Sericulture Project ”.

 

Aside from our good working relations on this project, both our countries have a history of longstanding friendship. I am happy to be visiting your beautiful Province and further strengthen our bilateral relations.

 

Our Official Development Assistance (ODA) to your Province through this project encompasses a whole range of cooperation from enhancing silk farmers' livelihood to accelerating socio-economic development in this region.

 

The Government of Japan has been assisting this Sericulture Project under the Japan NGO Assistance Program for more than a decade. The Sericulture Project was started by OISCA in the 1980s as an experimental mulberry plantation project to augment the income of farmers who were solely dependent in the fluctuating sugar industry. In 1998, Japan funded the construction of a silk reeling center building including cocoon dryer and other machineries. In 2004, OISCA received additional reeling machines under the Japan Recycle Program. Through this successive assistance, the project was able to produce approximately 12 tons of reeled silk per year. Furthermore, a Silkworm Breeding Station was established with funding from the Government of Japan. This assistance paved the way for the production of handmade or finger spun silk which later became known as Philippine silk. I believe this latest assistance of cocoon drying machines will further improve the quality of silk products for this project.

 

It is heartwarming to note that a pilot mulberry plantation project has now become a successful silk production industry in this province. I know the project has branched out to the towns of Mabinay, Canlaon and San Carlos City. We are pleased to see the improved lives of not only the 218 farmers engaged in sericulture, but also other segments of the communities who gained employment from the factories, breeding stations and silk weaving. I believe 83% of the Philippines' total silk production was produced from this project. The project has also indirectly mitigated natural disasters like landslides and soil erosion since formerly denuded lands were planted with mulberry tries. Thus, it is worthwhile to mention that this project has brought environmental benefits to this region as well.

 

I commend the officers and staff of OISCA for their unwavering commitment and efforts to make this project a success. I would also like to convey my gratitude to the Local Government Units and other agencies concerned for recognizing the significan ce of this project in this province.

 

In closing, I hope for the successful outcome of today's ceremony and I reaffirm Japan's steadfast support to the socio-economic of the Philippines.

 

Thank you.