Japan Provides Funding for the Japanese NGO Activities in the Philippines

Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa signed 2 grant contracts at the Embassy of Japan on March 6, 2017 between each representative of Japanese NGOs which are conducting activities in the Philippines for its development. The total amount of US$ 1,019,051 (approximately 45.9 million pesos), is funded through the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects, a small-grant funding program of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). The Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects started in the Philippines in 2002. Since then, the Japanese Government has made contracts for 46 projects in the Philippines under the scheme amounting to approximately 1 billion yen in total. Japan believes that these projects described below will strengthen not only friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also the existing strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.

1. Project for resilient Community protected by Forest = Restoration from Super typhoon “Haiyan”= (Phase 3)
By OISCA (Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement)
 Amount of Grant : US$ 442,716  (approximately  19.9 million pesos)

This project aims to reduce disaster risks and improve the livelihood of indigenous people in Tacloban City, the Municipalities of Tanauan, Palo and Tolosa in Leyte Province and the Municipality of Ajuy in Iloilo Province. These areas were affected by typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Under phases 1 and 2 of the project, OISCA, a Japanese NGO conducted afforestation, planting of vegetables, poultry breeding, beekeeping and capacity building for farmer-beneficiaries. This year, which is the final phase of this three-year-project, OISCA will expand its strategies and activities for afforestation, planting, poultry breeding, beekeeping, food processing and capacity building, and extend successful pilot experiments to other beneficiaries and the public sector.

2. Project on Capacity Building Project on Peace Education and Conflict Resolution in Bangsamoro Communities of Mindanao (Phase 3)
 By ICAN(International Children’s Action Network)
 Amount of Grant : US$ 576,335  (approximately 25.9 million pesos)

Mindanao has experienced about 40 years of conflict between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Municipality of Pikit where the MILF military camp exists has produced a lot of Internally Displaced People (IDP) as a result of the conflict. Many children who experienced the conflict in Mindanao suffer psychological damages. In addition, a lot of them have no access to schools due to the conflict and insufficient facilities of schools in the area. The lack of education in the area has negative impacts on building peace. This project aims to introduce peace education through the construction of classroom buildings at elementary schools and high schools. It is expected that this project will contribute to the peace and stability in the area.

For phases 1 and 2 of the project, in 2015 and 2016, ICAN conducted the construction of classrooms and trainings on peace education in the western and southern parts of the Municipality of Pikit. For this year, which is the final phase of the three-year-project, ICAN will produce teaching materials for peace education in the same parts of the municipality.