Second Secretary Takuhiro Watanabe attended the turnover ceremony February 5, 2016 for “The Project for Construction of Shelter Home for Women and Children” in the Municipality of Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay. This is part of the Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
The ceremony was attended by Mayor Cresencio S. Jore, Vice Mayor Rex B. Castor, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) council members and department heads of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Diplahan as well as First Admiral Dato Khairuddin Bin Mohd Arif RMN, Deputy Head of Mission from the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
In FY2012, under J-BIRD (※), the Embassy of Japan (EOJ) provided assistance to the LGU of Diplahan amounting to One Hundred One Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Six US Dollars (USD 101,536) or approximately Php 3.95 million. The grant was used for the construction of a two-storey shelter home and procurement of training equipment. The shelter home can accommodate 60 abused women and children and will render physical and medical assistance such as preventive and rehabilitation services as well as therapy services through counseling sessions with their psychotherapist. Aside from these, the shelter home will also offer the women with opportunities for skills training on handicrafts and food processing.
The shelter home is expected to provide the women and children with a safer life and environment as well as promote to the women social participation through the skills acquired during the trainings. Ultimately, the project aims to maximize their potentials towards living a normal and productive life. In addition, Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen the friendship between the people of Japan and the Philippines but also continue to further foster a strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines towards the future.
The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor for the Philippines, launched the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects in the Philippines in 1989 for the purpose of reducing poverty and helping various communities engaged in grassroots activities. As of present, 512 grassroots projects have been funded by GGP.
(※) Since 2006, Japan has been intensively implementing Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and other ODA projects for confict affected areas in Mindanao, collectively called J-BIRD (Japan-Bangsamoro Initiative for Reconstruction and Develpoment). Their total amount is over 15 billion yen. Furthermore, when President Aquino made a state visit to Japan last June, 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 (Note), in view of the establishment of a new autonomous political entity.
(Note: A new phase of the J-BIRD that will focus more on ensuring economic autonomy in the Bangsamoro Area.
Japanese Version
