The Japanese government has expressed its commitment to fully support the country’s resolve to achieve peace and development in Southern Philippines through the just-created Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Deputy Chief of Mission Takehiro Kano of the Japan Embassy in the Philippines said the Japanese government welcomes the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority of the BARMM, which was created following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law during a plebiscite held in January this year.
“We affirm our support for the BARMM to ensure that the Mindanao peace process would proceed smoothly, especially in the next couple of years, which I think is very critical,” Kano said in an interview.
“We are ready to provide the needed support for the success of expanded autonomous regional government in Mindanao,” Kano added.
As part of Japan’s commitment, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda earlier signed and exchanged notes with Food and Agriculture Organization Representative Jose Luis Fernandez and International Labour Organization Country Director Khalid Hassan, for two projects in the Bangsamoro region, as witnessed by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez.
The FAO project, which amounts to US $1.765 million, aims to assist farmers and fisherfolks, including former combatants, women and indigenous peoples acquire various agricultural vocational expertise.
Kano explained that these new knowledge and skills will help them efficiently operate farms, gain employment or set up their own businesses.
The ILO intervention, on the other hand, has a total budget of approximately 2.66 million US$. It envisions to develop water infrastructure that will benefit an estimated 11,814 households. At least 1,800 workers from the target communities will be employed to help build the water supply facilities.
Both projects are seen to provide sustainable livelihood and build healthier communities, which are key milestones to achieving peace and development in Mindanao.
“These two undertakings form part of the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development, or J-BIRD to empower people and communities benefit from the dividends of peace. From 2006 to date, Japan has provided a total of about 13 billion pesos or 260 million US dollars’ worth of assistance to the Bangsamoro region,” the statement released by the Japan Embassy in Manila said.
Also earlier, two exchange of notes were signed in Japan for non-project grant assistance to provide underground water detection and well-drilling machines to be deployed in Bangsamoro region, worth 560 million Japanese Yen, as well as the urgent rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure, particularly the rebuilding of TESDA training Center in Marawi, which amounts to 1.8 billion Japanese yen.
“All these endeavors will strengthen the momentum for peace and optimum development in (Mindanao),” the embassy statement said.