Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa signed four grant contracts at the Embassy of Japan on February 26, 2016 with representatives of Japanese NGOs ,OISCA (Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement) and ICAN (International Children’s Action Network), which are conducting development activities in the Philippines. The Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects started in the Philippines in 2002. Since then, the Japanese Government contracted 42 projects in the Philippines under this scheme amounting to a total of approximately 800 million yen. Japan believes that the projects described below will strengthen not only the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also the existing strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.
1. Project for resilient Community protected by Forest = Restoration from Super typhoon “Haiyan”=
By OISCA (Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement)
Amount of Grant : US$ 434,820 (approximately 20.7 million pesos)
This project aims to reduce disaster risks and improve the livelihood of indigenous people in the Municipalities of Tanauan and Palo in Leyte Province and the Municipality of Ajuy in Iloilo Province, which were areas affected by typhoon Haiyan.
In 2015, under phase 1 of the project, the Japanese NGO, OISCA conducted afforestation, planting new vegetables, breeding ducks, beekeeping and capacity building for beneficiaries. For this year, which is the middle phase of a three-year-project, OISCA will include Tacloban City, Tolosa Municipality in Leyte, as the activity areas, and will expand options and activities for afforestation, planting, breeding poultry, beekeeping, food processing and capacity building.
2. Project on Capacity Building Project on Peace Education and Conflict Resolution in Bangsamoro Communities of Mindanao (Phase 2)
By ICAN(International Children’s Action Network)
Amount of Grant : US$ 514,759 (approximately 24.5 million pesos)
Mindanao has experienced 40 years of conflict between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Municipality of Pikit where the MILF military camp exists has produced a lot of Internally Displaced People (IDP) as a result of the conflict. Many children who experienced the conflict in Mindanao suffer psychological wounds. In addition, a lot of them have no access to schools due to the conflict and insufficient number of schools in the area. The lack of education in the area creates a drag on building peace. This project aims to introduce peace education through the construction of classroom buildings at elementary schools and high schools. It is expected that this project will contribute to the peace and stability in the area.
For the phase 1 of the project, in 2015, ICAN conducted the construction of classrooms and trainings on peace education in the western part of the Municipality of Pikit. For this year, which is the middle phase of a three-year-project, ICAN will conduct the same activity in the southern part of the municipality.
3. Project on Capacity Building Project on Education in Indigenous Communities of Bukidnon, Mindanao
By ICAN(International Children’s Action Network)
Amount of Grant : US$ 318,520 (approximately 15.2 million pesos)
Mindanao is in the lowest level of poverty rate and infrastructure development on health and education due to the long running conflict. Salumayag, Municipality of San Fernando, Province of Bukidnon, which is the main project site of this project, is a living area of indigenous people where almost all of them have not completed elementary level education and doesn’t have literacy and calculation capability. This project aims to construct school buildings at elementary schools in Salumayag and to conduct trainings to enhance the capability of teaching and school management in the whole of Province of Bukidnon. It is expected that this project will contribute to the improvement of educational environment in the indigenous communities of Bukidnon.
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Japanese Version
