The Government of Japan is going to turn over 7,184 metric tons of fertilizers to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines under Japan's 8 th Non-Project Grant Aid (NPGA) extended in February 2009. These comprise part of the 42,184 metric tons of fertilizers in total worth 700 Million Yen (approximately 354 Million Pesos) procured by the Philippine Government under the 8th NPGA.
At the Iloilo port on April 27, 2010, Japanese Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister Motohiko Kato is going to turn over the fertilizers to Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Joel Rodinas. The fertilizers procured under the 8th NPGA will certainly help farmers improve the productivity for the next cropping season and mitigate the damage to agricultural crops caused by the strong typhoons which hit the Philippines in September and October last year.
The fertilizers procured under the 8th NPGA consist of six (6) shipments. In addition to the first shipment of 7,184 metric tons of fertilizers which is going to be turned over by Minister Kato at the Iloilo port on April 27, the following five (5) shipments are respectively expected to arrive in Iloilo in May, Davao in June, Subic and Batangas in July, and Davao in August, 2010, to coincide with the next cropping season.
Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo signed and exchanged notes for the 8 th NPGA on February 13, 2009 at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Japan has provided eight (8) batches of NPGA for the Philippines since 1991. The total value of the eight NPGAs amounts to 15.8 Billion Yen (approximately 8.0 Billion Pesos). These NPGAs have enabled the Philippine Government to procure commodities such as soybean meal, fuel oil, and steel billets which are necessary for the Philippines to improve its economic structure.
In addition, the Counter-value Fund accumulated by the Philippine Government through selling the commodities procured under the NPGAs has enabled it to implement various projects (Counter-value Fund projects) for its socio-economic development. Notably, the projects include the project to distribute personal computers for public high schools nationwide, and the project to construct the Philippine Judicial Academy Development Center of the Supreme Court in Tagaytay.
Japan has been the top ODA donor country to the Philippines for many years. Japan's NPGA will firmly support the Philippine Government's initiative to reduce poverty and improve its economic structure, and will further enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries.
