On 11 December 2024, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Second Secretary NISHIMURA Tokiko attended the official handover for the “Project for Provision of Two Ambulances in Parañaque, Metro Manila.” This project was approved in 2021 under Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP). In attendance were Mayor Eric L. Olivarez and other key local government officials.
Parañaque City’s emergency medical services faced significant challenges due to a lack of available ambulances. With a population of over 680,000, the city’s emergency response department struggled to meet the growing demand for ambulances. As a result, more than 10% of ambulance requests were turned down annually due to vehicle shortages.
As a remedial measure, the Embassy of Japan provided the grant amount of USD 54,976 or approximately PHP 2.78 million to the Parañaque City Government. The grant covered the provision of two ambulance vehicles. This will enhance the city’s capacity to respond swiftly to medical emergencies. Furthermore, the ambulances will play a critical role in daily healthcare services, improving access to medical care for residents in need.
In her message, Ms. NISHIMURA highlighted that the ambulances will dramatically strengthen the emergency response system of the City’s first responders. She also honored the local officials for their perseverance in nurturing their constituents with timely and effective healthcare.
This year marks the 70th anniversary since Japan initiated its Official Development Assistance (ODA). The Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) launched in 1989 and based on the concept of "human security," is one of the ODA schemes that provides funding for projects at the grassroots level that directly contribute to improving the lives of people and for urgent humanitarian emergencies. These projects focus on basic human needs (BHN) sectors, such as education, health, medical care, water and sanitation, disaster prevention, and areas related to human security that require urgent attention. As the top ODA donor to the Philippines, Japan has implemented a total of 564 GGP projects in the Philippines. Japan has been actively engaged in a diverse range of initiatives, from large-scale infrastructure projects to grassroots-level support. Japan believes that these projects will strengthen the friendship between Japan and the Philippines and will contribute to fostering the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.
Note: Grant Amount: USD 54,976; Dollar Rate 1 USD = PHP 50.518 (as of November 25, 2021)
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