Honorable Vice Governor of the Province of
Nueva Vizcaya, M r . Jose V. Gambito ,
Honorable Mayor of Municipality of
Kayapa, Mr. John Balasya ,
Honorable Mayor of Municipality of
Dupax del Sur, Mr. Romeo P. Magaway, Sr. ,
Honorable Mayor of Municipality of
Sta. Fe, Mr. Teodorico DP. Padilla, Jr. ,
Honorable Mayor of Municipality of
Kasibu, Mr. Alberto D. Bumolo, Jr. ,
Officers and staff members of GLM Institute and PRRM,
Barangay Captains, farmer beneficiaries,
Distinguished Guests,
Friends:
Good morning.
I am pleased to join you all today for the inauguration of this new project in which we can continue to extend our unwavering support to improve the livelihood of local farmers in this province. Let me thank you, as well, for the warm welcome extended to our visit to this beautiful province of Nueva Vizcaya.
First of all, allow me to congratulate you on the successful implementation of the concluded project on promotion of participatory forest management, which was also funded by a grant assistance from the Government of Japan. I am inspired to see that the irrigation systems are being efficiently utilized, enhancing forest management particularly in the critical watershed areas and empowering linkages and partnerships among the participating communities and local government units. It is worthwhile to mention that the previous forestry management project effectively serves to lay the groundwork for the implementation of this new project, particularly on sustainable farming methods such as conservation of water catchments. I commend the initiatives of GLM Institute and the efforts of all those organizations and people involved in this great endeavor.
It is noteworthy that in the Philippines, Japan's Official Development Assistance focuses on programs and projects that uphold and support sustainable environmental awareness and protection. The Government of Japan also recognizes the plight of farmers who constitute a significant part of the Philippine agricultural sector. We understand that critical problems such as massive application of chemical pesticides and fertilizers contribute to soil deterioration and continue to limit the income and production of farmers. Furthermore, there is a growing demand from the consumer side for organic and reduced-chemical produce that does not aggravate environment al pollution.
Establishing upland organic and reduced-chemical production system is an arduous task. It requires tremendous amount of efforts applying sustainable upland farming tech niques , as well as establishing stable and reliable marketing network for sustainable transaction of these produce. I believe that this project would address these main concerns, and will benefit and empower the farmer-beneficiaries of this region in such a way as to contribute to improving their income.
The success of a project lies not only in the development of a good project, but also in a consistent, collective and dedicated approach in its implementation. I am confident that the GLM Institute, the local government agencies and all the other stakeholders involved will be able to work together closely to generate the successful outcome and to maximize the effects of this project.
Finally, I would like to express my confidence today that the fruits of this project will yield great results for future generations as they serve as testimonies of the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines.
Maraming Salamat at Mabuhay!
Embassy of Japan in the Philippines