Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura will sign eight (8) grant contracts for various social development projects in conflict affected areas in Mindanao. These projects are the fourth batch of assistance under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) funded through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
J-BIRD was launched in 2006 to pursue Japan's commitment to the peace process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Since the launching, Japan has already supported 32 grassroots projects in the total amount of 2.1 m illion US dollars or about 95 m illion pesos.
This new package of assistance amounting to 732,447 US dollars or about 33 million pesos will form part of Japan's commitment to support peace and development efforts in Mindanao. This package includes the construction of three (3) school buildings, two (2) training centers, a women's crisis center, a potable water supply system, and a rural health unit. The signing of the grant contracts is going to take place:
at 11:00 am
on March 22, 2010
at the Crown Plaza Hotel , Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
The event will be witnessed by major stakeholders of the Mindanao Peace Process such as the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Annabelle Abaya; GRP Peace Panel Chairman Rafael Seguis; the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) Vice Chairman, Dr. Safullah Dipatuan; and Major General Datuk Baharom Bin Hamzah, Head of Mission of the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
Earlier, Japan also decided to redeploy two development experts, Mr. Tomonori Kikuchi, First Secretary and Mr. Yusuke Mori, Second Secretary to the IMT, which resumed its operations last February. Both experts are expected to contribute to the socio-economic development aspect of the IMT. Last December, Japan also decided to participate in the International Contact Group (ICG), which performs such roles as giving advice to the parties concerned on the Mindanao Peace Process and participating in peace talks as observers. As a member of ICG, Japan has been actively engaged in the peace process since then.
To support the process, Japan has implemented various assistance projects under J-BIRD as described in the attached document titled “J-BIRD.”
March 22, 2010
The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines
Launched in December 2006, J-BIRD (Japan- Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development) is designed to contribute to the peace process and development in the Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao (CAAM) and the surrounding areas in the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). The objective of J-BIRD is to enable the people and the communities in the target areas to enjoy the “dividends of peace” through the Japanese ODA on the basis of “Human Security” principles. As of now, the total amount of the assistance is approximately \11.23B (PHP5.92B) .
• Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)
• Since the launch of J-BIRD in 2006, Japan has implemented 40 projects in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, amounting to a total of approximately
Y313M (PHP160.73M). 24 projects were implemented in the ARMM.
• The projects include construction or rehabilitation of schools, training centers, water supply systems and health centers, and provision of post-harvest facilities and equipment.
• Grant Aid for Japanese NGO's project: 1 project (construction of schools) in JFY 2009 (Y13M: PHP6.68M)
• Emergency food aid of rice to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP): Y860M (PHP441.61) (Distribution: Jan. 2009 – Jan. 2010)
• Senior Advisor for Regional Development of ARMM: Japan dispatches a senior advisor who coordinates ODA projects for ARMM and provides policy advice on development issues with the ARMM government.
• ARMM Human Capacity Development Project (Y350M: PHP179.73M): This project aims to improve capacity of middle management and operating core members of the ARMM government through the assistance for development of the Halal industry, establishment of the “ARMM Administration Code” and the “Human Resource Information System,” and management of infrastructure.
• Rice-based Farming System Training and Support for ARMM (Y85M: PHP43.65M)
• Topographic Map for Peace and Development in Mindanao (Y1.3B: PHP667.55M) (March 2010-): This project is going to update the topographic map of Mindanao, which will contribute to more effective formulation and smoother implementation of ODA projects.
• ARMM Social Fund for Peace and Development Project
• This project started in April 2004, co-financed by Japan and World Bank. Japan's contribution amounts to Y2.47B (PHP1.27B).
• CDA (Community Development Assistance) projects (smaller infrastructure projects with 1.5M peso allotted for each barangay) and SRI (Strategic Regional Infrastructure) projects (larger infrastructure projects) are being conducted in the ARMM region.
• CDA and SRI projects include construction of multi-purpose centers, water-supply facilities / tanks, warehouses, schools, and roads.
• Central Mindanao Road Project (\3.7B: PHP1.90B): This project aims to construct roads between North Upi and Kalamansig (74.82km).
| 5. NPGA (Non- Project Grant Assistance) Counter Value Fund |
• 3 projects were approved in June 2009:
• Construction of Japan-ARMM friendship hall and training center (\58M: PHP29.78M)
• Equipment supply for improvement of road network in ARMM (\282M: PHP144.81M)
• Personal computers for public high schools project (phase 4) (Mindanao) (\340M: PHP174.59M)
• SERD-CAAM (Study for Socio-Economic Reconstruction and Development of Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao) (\684M: PHP357.23M) (March 2007- November 2009)
• This project created the “Socio-Economic Development Plan” (SEDP) for the reconstruction and development of conflict-affected areas based on the comprehensive social survey and need analysis conducted on 3,847 barangays.
• The study also implemented 11 QIPs (Quick Impact Projects) and 23 OSAs (On the Spot Assistance). These are small infrastructure projects ( ex. schools, water supply facilities, rice mills) to address immediate needs of the barangays based on the “In-Depth Barangay Needs Analysis” (IBNA).
• Study on Infrastructure (Road Network) Development Plan for ARMM (\241M: PHP123.75M) ( January 2008- March 2010)
* PHP-JPY Exchange Rate=0.5135 (2010 February Average)
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