The ceremony was attended by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Jeremy S. Regino and Minister for Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan NIHEI Daisuke, who celebrated the TBM launching with all stakeholders.

CP103 is a 6.5km section from East Avenue Station to Ortigas Station, being constructed by Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. Tunneling will begin at Camp Aguinaldo Station, the mid-point of this section.

In his speech, Minister Nihei stated that “the Government of Japan takes great pride in supporting the Metro Manila Subway Project and is fully committed to our common goal of improving the quality of life of the Filipino people through quality infrastructure.”

The Government of Japan, through its Official Development Assistance (ODA), will continue to strongly support major railway projects in the Philippines, such as the Metro Manila and the North-South Commuter Railway.

The Philippine Railway Institute (PRI) organized the conference to exchange views on the latest railway technology with the academe and the railway industry. The event also aimed to build a network between the industry, the government, and the academe.

With the theme “Reinforcing Safety and Security in the Philippine Railway Sector,” the conference was held to exchange views on the latest information on railway maintenance and management. Lively discussions took place in the presence of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista.

In his remarks, Minister Nihei highlighted how safety is at the heart of the railway business. He also expressed his hopes that through this conference, the railway industry, the government, and the academe will continue to collaborate and contribute to the future development of railway projects in the Philippines.

Japan Embassy Economic Affairs Minister NIHEI Daisuke speaking on behalf of Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa

A regional initiative by UN-Habitat in the Philippines and the Government of Japan, HOCCI addresses the growing concern over marine plastic pollution that endangers the environment, marine ecosystems, and public health. While the Philippines has among the highest trash collection rates in Southeast Asia, it remains the world’s third-largest source of marine litter.

With UN-Habitat Philippines’ lead, the Government of Japan funded 3 million USD for this project and the project ran for three and a half years, from April 2020 to September 2023, and was piloted in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Calapan, Davao, Legazpi, Manila, and Ormoc. The project primarily provided support for improved governance structures and capacities for the localization of the National Plan of Action for Marine Litter (NPOA-ML) and the vertical integration of the marine plastic litter response. The project also assisted the cities in improving technology and systems for marine plastic litter reduction.

In his speech, Minister Nihei expressed his hopes that the gains and lessons learned from the implementation of HOCCI will inspire synergies and deepen partnerships at the community, national, and international levels to work hand in hand in reducing marine litter.

Honorable Representative of the First District of Pampanga, Carmelo “John” Lazatin II, Magalang City Mayor Maria Lourdes P. Lacson, JICA Philippines Chief Representative, SAKAMOTO Takema, Kuwanosato Inc. President Seong Min Han, PSAU President Dr. Anita G. David, and other university and local government officials also graced the event.

In his speech during the ceremony, Minister NIHEI expressed confidence that the project will greatly benefit the local farmers of Pampanga. He also expressed optimism that the factory would create new opportunities, and generate more employment in the province.

The Philippines is considered primarily an agricultural country. However, farmers often suffer from unstable income due to natural disasters, price fluctuations, low-quality agricultural products, and a lack of an inclusive supply chain, among others.

The introduction of high-value products is seen as one of the strategies for promoting income-generating activities for farmers. In 2016, Kuwanosato, Inc., together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), worked with Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) to introduce mulberry planting in Pampanga. In 2020, the JICA Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Business Verification Survey with the Private Sector provided mulberry tea processing facilities to the PSAU mulberry tea factory.

The Minister for Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan, Mr. NIHEI Daisuke attended the groundbreaking ceremony today, April 28, 2022, for Contract Package 102 of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP). This project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Present in the ceremony were Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista and other key local government officials.

In his speech delivered during the ceremony, Minister Nihei reiterated the commitment Japan took at the summit meeting during President Marcos, Jr.’s official visit to Tokyo. He said, “Japan will continue to be the Philippines’ reliable partner in the development of quality infrastructure, in line with the Build, Better, More Program.” The minister also assured that Japan would work full speed ahead to ensure the timely completion of the first-ever Philippine subway under the Marcos, Jr. administration.

Dubbed as the ‘Project of the Century’, The MMSP will reduce travel time between Quezon City and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes. It will also significantly reduce the heavy traffic in Metro Manila, thereby reducing carbon emissions in the country as well. Through a variety of ODA support, Japan’s assistance will provide funds to the Philippine government for the construction of this quality infrastructure, employing Japan’s extensive knowledge and railroad expertise.

Signed on November 3rd between DOTr and Nishimatsu-DMCI Joint Venture (Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd. and D.M. Consunji, Inc.), Contract Package 102 of the Metro Manila Subway Project will construct two underground stations in Quezon City—Quezon Avenue and East Avenue stations—as well as its connecting tunnel.