Japan Signed Five (5) New Grant Contracts under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Scheme

On November 22, 2019 Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda signed five grant contracts under Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) *1 one of the Japanese Government’s assistance schemes for the Philippines at the Embassy of Japan (EOJ). The ceremony was attended by Honorable Alain Del B. Pascua, Undersecretary for Administration, Department of Education, and Honorable Aleli Annie Grace Sudiacal, Medical Officer V, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, Department of Health.

The total grant amount is USD 590,781 (approximately PHP 30 million), which will be used for the construction of a school dormitory, a health station, and classrooms, as well as the procurement of medical equipment and agricultural machinery.

The details of the five projects are as follows:

1. The Project for the Construction of Dormitory Building for the Philippine School for the Deaf in Pasay City
Proponent: Philippine School for the Deaf
Amount of Grant: USD 156,127 (Php 8,009,326)

    The Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD) is the only special needs school for the deaf in the country that provides classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. PSD students come from not just Metro Manila but all over the Philippines. At PSD, while the student enrollment and the applications for the use of its residential facility have been increasing in recent years, its residential facility is gravely insufficient in bed capacity to meet the demand. Under the GGP project, a two-story dormitory building that can accommodate 70 more students will be constructed. Through the project, the school can provide a safe and comfortable residence for its students to focus on their study.     

2. The Project for the Construction of Health Station with Birthing Facility in Paracelis, Mountain Province
Proponent: LGU of Paracelis
Amount of Grant: USD  80,927 (Php  4,151,566)

    Many people in Paracelis, Mountain Province do not have an easy access to quality health services due to an insufficient number of appropriately equipped health service facilities in the area. Due to the difficulty of accessing health services, home birth is still a common practice. Through the GGP project, a health station with birthing facility will be established in Paracelis. The project will improve the accessibility to health services for approximately 12,000 residents in the barangays of Palitud, Anonat, Bantay and Butigue, including 200 pregnant women a year.

3. The Project for the Construction of Classrooms for Don Felix Robles Elementary School in La Castellana, Negros Occidental
Proponent: LGU of La Castellana
Amount of Grant: USD  81,122 (Php 4,161,605)

    At Don Felix Robles Elementary School (DFRES) in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, some of its classrooms are dilapidated to the extent that in rainy seasons, class sessions are often disrupted by rain water entering into the classrooms. In addition to the poor quality of the classrooms, the school is faced with the classroom shortage problem; thus, it cannot provide a good learning environment for students. Through the GGP project, a new 1-storey 4-classroom school building and eight toilet facilities will be constructed. This will provide a safer and more comfortable learning space for its 1,827 students of DFRES, and contribute to the improvement in the quality of education and the sanitary environment for healthy growth of students.    

4. The Project for the Construction of School Building of Sto. Niño Elementary School, Kidapawan City
Proponent: LGU of Kidapawan
Amount of Grant: USD  183,563 (Php  9,416,828)

   Students of Sto. Niño Elementary School, Kidapawan City are studying in classrooms built 61 years ago. These old classrooms have cracks on the walls, posing a grave safety concern. During rainy seasons, class sessions are frequently disrupted or cancelled due to rain water coming through the windows and leaking from the ceilings. Through the GGP project, a 2-storey 4-classroom school building and four toilet facilities will be constructed. This project is expected to directly benefit 216 students of Sto. Niño Elementary School by providing them a safer learning environment. This is also a part of the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development or J-Bird*2.    

5. The Project for the Procurement of Pre and Postharvest Equipment for the Farmers of the Municipality of Anao, Tarlac
Proponent: LGU of Anao
Amount of Grant: USD  89,042 (Php  4,567,857)

    Anao is an agricultural municipality with rice and corn as its primary crops. Farmers in Anao do not have access to agricultural equipment; land preparation and harvesting are done either manually or with the use of farm animals. As a result, farmers incur low work efficiency, high production costs, and significant post-harvest. To address these problems, the project will provide 1 farm tractor, 1 trailing harrow, 1 rotovator, 1 combined harvester (default rice kit), 1 corn kit, and 1 trailer for transporting the combined harvester. With the use of these equipment, farmers will be able to increase work efficiency, lower production costs, and reduce postharvest losses. This is expected to contribute to the increase in income of 259 farmers in Anao and improvement in their standards of living.


Note*1; The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor for the Philippines, launched the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) in the Philippines in 1989 for the purpose of reducing poverty and helping various communities engaged in grassroots activities. As of present, 548 grassroots projects, including the five mentioned above, have been funded by GGP with a total amount of US$ 33,742,160. Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute to further fostering a strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines toward the future.

Note*2: Since 2006, Japan has been intensively implementing Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and other ODA projects for conflict affected areas in Mindanao, collectively called J-BIRD (Japan-Bangsamoro Initiative for Reconstruction and Development). Their total amount is over 200 million US Dollars. Furthermore, when former President Aquino made a state visit to Japan in June 2015, Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Shinzo Abe, expressed at their summit meeting his support for efforts by the Government of the Philippines to secure enduring peace in Mindanao, and stated that the Government of Japan will promote the J-BIRD II, in view of the establishment of a new autonomous political entity.