Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura congratulates Ms. Mariko Sorimachi of Cordillera Green Network, Inc. (CGN) after signing the grant contract for “The Project for Providing Agricultural Relief Assistance to Typhoon Victims in Northern Luzon” on December 15, 2010 at the Embassy of Japan. The ceremony was witnessed by officers of the Embassy and CGN. |
Japanese Ambassador Makoto Ka ts ura and Cordillera Green Network, Inc. (CGN) Executive Director Mariko Sorimachi signed the grant contract for “The Project for Providing Agricultural Relief Assi s tance to Typhoon Victims in Northern Luzon” on December 15, 2010 at the Embassy of Japan. The project amounting to US$ 105,270 (approximately 4.5 million pesos) is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
This project will provide agricultural assistance such as agricultural inputs and equipment including seeds of vegetable, rice, and corn, fertilizers and plastic sheets to 1,574 farmers who were seriously affected by Typhoon Juan (international name Megi) last October, 2010. The agricultural relief items will be distributed in 13 barangays of the Provinces of Benguet and Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and six (6) barangays of the Provinces of Isabela and Cagayan in Region II.
While around 460,168 individuals (115,563 families) in Regions I, II, III and CAR were affected by Typhoon Juan, most of them are heavily dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the damages to the agriculture sector in Northern Luzon amounted to 8.22 billion pesos, which have raised serious concern about sustainability of agricultural yields in the affected communities.
Under these circumstances, the Cordillera Green Network, Inc., a non-stock and non-profit organization, sought the assistance from the Embassy of Japan so that they can support the farmers who lack the capital in replanting their destroyed crops and reviving their livelihoods.
Japan, as the top donor of the official development assistance for the Philippines, launched G GP in the Philippines in 1989 for the purpose of reducing poverty and helping various communities engaged in grassroots activities. As of March 2010 , 434 grassroots projects funded by GGP – ranging from roughly 1 to 4 million pesos – have been implemented by NGOs , local government units and other non-profit organizations. The total grant for these projects so far amounts to US$ 18,982,775 . It is expected that this project will further contribute to fostering a strategic partnership between the two countries towards the future.
Japanese Version
