Honorable Secretary Teresita “Ging” Quintos-Deles

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, OPAPP

 

Honorable Lualhati Antonino

Chair, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)

 

Major General Dato Mahdi Bin Yusof

Head of Mission, International Monitoring Team (IMT)

 

Brigadier General Reynaldo Ardo

Chairman, Government of the Philippines-Coordinating Committee on the Cessationof Hostilities (GRP-CCCH)

 

Mr. Said Sheikh

Chairman, Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF-CCCH)

 

Mr. Mohammad Shuaib Yacob

Executive Director, Bangasamoro Develolpment Agency (BDA)

 

Representatives of recipient Organizations and Schools,

 

Distinguished guests,

 

Ladies and gentlemen:

 

Good Afternoon!

 

First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to heartfelt messages of sympathies and condolences the Government and the people of the Philippines have extended to the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the Northeastern part of Japan last March 11. Presidential Advisor Ging Deles was one of the Filipinos who gave me the messages for the affected people in Japan immediately after the calamity happened.

 

Today it is a great honor for me to have signed nine ( 9 ) grant contracts in this important occasion, and it is also a great pleasure for me to meet the representatives of the implementing organizations who came all the way from Mindanao to attend this ceremony. The Japanese Government has launched the J-BIRD or Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development in 2006 to contribute to the peace process between the Philippine Government and MILF through assisting the development of the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. Since then, Japan has implemented forty-one (41) grassroots projects by utilizing the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects or GGP. Today's package includes the construction of five (5) school buildings, two (2) training centers, one floating school , and one post-harvest facility. The total amount of these fifty (50) projects is around 3.8 million US dollars or around 217 million pesos. Japan is still struggling with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, however, we know that the people in Mindanao is also making efforts to live in the difficult conditions. Considering these people in Mindanao, Japan continues its support for the bright future of these people.

 

I have visited some of the sites of these projects before and have witnessed their effects by myself. When I saw children's smiles at newly-constructed school buildings, I felt that the dividends of peace were steadily shared at the grassroots level. In 2009, I also visited a camp for internally displaced people or IDP to witness the distribution of emergency assistance items, and I was really impressed by the people who looked so resilient even in difficult situations. While my duty as Ambassador to the Philippines is coming to an end soon, I will never forget these experiences.

 

On this occasion, I would like to explain Japan's policy for the Mindanao Peace Process which consists of three pillars. The first pillar is, of course, the J-BIRD. On top of the grassroots projects, we have actively engaged in various kinds of socio-economic cooperation projects under the J-BIRD. Here, we would like to renew our commitment that all the officials from the Embassy of Japan and the staff from JICA will continue our efforts to contribute to the improvement of people's livelihood in Mindanao through the J-BIRD.

 

The second pillar is the dispatch of our socio-economic development experts to the International Monitoring Team (IMT). Japan renewed its membership to the IMT and appointed Mr. Naoyuki Ochiai, and Mr. Kei Fukunaga as Senior Advisors for Reconstruction and Development. Mr. Ochiai started his duty last December and Mr. Fukunaga just arrived yesterday. Both experts are expected to contribute to the socio-economic development aspect of the Mindanao assistance.

 

The third pillar is our participation in the International Contact Group (ICG). The task of the ICG is to perform such roles as giving advice to the parties concerned on the peace process and participating in peace talks as observers. Upon the request of the Philippine Government, the MILF and the Government of Malaysia, Japan decided to participate in the ICG and has actively engaged in the peace process.

 

In closing, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the offic ial s and staff of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) who have been our partners since the launching of the J-BIRD and have continuously devoted their valuable time and efforts to facilitate the realization of various projects. We sincerely hope that the Philippine Government and the MILF will come up with a negotiated and peaceful settlement to end the decades-long armed conflicts, and in turn provide an opportunity for the people to enjoy the dividends of peace.

 

Thank you very much for your attention.