Press Office - PR#29-2009
Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura will sign nine grant contracts for various economic cooperation projects in Mindanao's conflict-affected areas under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD). This is the third batch of assistance of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) under the J-BIRD.
Since the launching of the J-BIRD in 2006, Japan has already assisted 23 projects under GGP in the total amount of about 1.3 Million USD (approximately 62 Million Pesos at P48/USD). This new package of assistance, amounting to about 31 Million Pesos or about 660 ,000 US D , will form part of Japan's commitment to support peace and development efforts in Mindanao. The assistance includes the construction of five school buildings, a potable water supply system, an education center, a rural health unit and an irrigation system.
The signing of the grant contracts will take place at 10:00 am on March 30 , 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ortigas, Pasig City.
The event will be witnessed by major stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process, led by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Avelino Razon; GRP Peace Panel Chairman Rafael Seguis; Dr. Danda Juanday of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA); and Japanese development expert Yusuke Mori, Advisor for Reconstruction and Development of Mindanao who was originally dispatched to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) .
In addition to these projects, Japan has actively reached out to the Internally Displaces Persons (IDPs) s ince August 2008 when the conflict in Mindanao forced more than 320,000 people to flee from their houses and livelihood. T he Government of Japan extend ed, in January 2009, emergency food aid amounting to 860 Million Yen (approximately 9.2 Million USD) or 7,500 Metric tons of rice to the IDPs through the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP). Moreover, Japan has supported the IDPs, by providing sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, water containers, and plastic sheets for tents, through a GGP project since December 2008.
These projects exemplify Japan's active role in the reconstruction and development of Mindanao. I n this context , Japan strongly supports the efforts by all parties concerned to end the long standing conflict in Mindanao through the peace process, and strongly hope s that peace talks between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be resumed immediately.
PRESS OFFICE
EMBASSY OF JAPAN
2627 Roxas Boulevard, 1300 Pasay City, Philippines
Phone: 551-5710 Ext. 2316/Fax: 551-5784
E-mail: press@japanembassy.ph