JICA and Japanese automotive recycling manufacturer, Tsuruoka co., Ltd held a grand launch of the Philippines’ first Japan-standard end-of-life vehicle (ELV) Dismantling Facility established by local partner EN-Tsumugi, in Pampanga province, the Philippines. The purpose of this facility is to effectively reuse the recycled parts of the ELVs, thereby promoting proper disposal and waste reduction and contributing to the circular economy.

In partnership with Tsuruoka, which developed an integrated recycling system called RECYINT, JICA supports the paradigm shift from a linear or “take, make, consume, and throw” model, to a circular economy that encourages the regeneration and reuse of materials to extend their value.

According to the feasibility study by Tsuruoka from 2020-2022 under JICA’s cooperation program,  there is room and necessity to develop laws or regulations pertaining to the proper management and disposal of ELVs. With no proper treatment, they tend to end up as industrial wastes at junk shops and dump sites. This becomes even more alarming as the increasing volume of cars in the country continues to rise. To address this pressing challenge, JICA and Tsuruoka conducted a pilot study using the RECYINT system to assess the ELV-related needs in Metro Manila and adjacent areas. The study which started in July 2023 and is expected to be successfully completed in October 2024.

Apart from promoting resource efficiency by adopting this integrated recycling system, the project also seeks to evaluate the business and job-generating opportunities that ELVs present in the Philippines initially, and later, between the Philippines and Japan, and even in other interested countries.

During the ceremony, JICA Philippines Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema stressed that this was a multi-stakeholder collaboration and appreciated its corporate counterparts such as Toyota Motor Corporation and Mitsui, as well as its Philippine government partners. “I hope that our collective vision and efforts will echo through partners who will learn and apply Japanese technical know-how in the ELV recycling industry. Today, we mark an important milestone for the sustainable ELV recycling industry. It will be able to reduce negative environmental impacts as well as boost economy and improve the quality of life. I also envisage that this project will further enhance the closer ties between two countries with mutual trust and respect.”

Traffic congestion has long been identified as a very serious social, political, and economic problem in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas, prompting President Marcos, Jr. to convene his first ever town hall meeting last April, as one of the top priority issues of the current administration. NCR traffic ranked the worst globally according to the Traffic Index TomTom in 2023. Moreover, according to a 2017 JICA survey, because of the traffic congestion, transport costs in Metro Manila alone was estimated to be PHP3.5 billion per day in 2017, and was projected to increase to PHP5.4 billion per day by 2035 if no intervention was done.

The dire situation of public transportation spurred the increase in the number of private vehicles on the road, exacerbating urban road congestion. To add, high transport costs have hindered the Philippines’ ability to attract more investments and create job opportunities, ranking the country 6^th out of 10 ASEAN countries in terms of foreign direct investment inflows from 2021-2022. Furthermore, the greater risks of road accidents, air pollution, and global warming are increasingly linked to traffic congestion.

In this context, JICA and DOTr share the goal of prompting a modal shift from private to public transportation. For this to be realized, the Project aims to improve the service quality of fixed-route PUVs such as buses, jeepneys, and Utility Van (UV) Express Services, among others. Technical assistance will be provided in effective route planning, development of intermodal transport hubs, and improving convenience of fixed-route PUVs.

JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema reiterated JICA’s “full cooperation to realize modernized ‘Japan-quality’ public transportation systems in the Philippines.” With the signing of Record of Discussions for the Project, it is expected that this JICA-DOTr collaboration will be a milestone “not just to build better transport systems, but in paving the way for a brighter and more connected future for our country,” said DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.

This new collaboration is part of JICA’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) strategic plan to transform public transportation in the Philippines through other hard infrastructure development projects, such as the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway Project, Capacity Enhancement of LRT Lines 1 and 2, and Rehabilitation and Maintenance of MRT3.

In parallel, JICA’s ODA support also includes soft-component development, such as the Establishment and Capacity Development of the Philippine Railway Institute, Formulation of 30-Year Railway Master Plan for Greater Capital Region (GCR), and Capacity Enhancement of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), which also promotes effective coordination between main railway lines and feeder transportation that link station area development with urban development to make the city more vibrant and livable.

Together with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Office for Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) under the DOTr, this Project will further advance the transformation of the public transportation system in the Philippines, in close coordination with the LGUs as well.

With the continuing threat and unrelentless cyberattacks that become a major concern of the world, the Philippines was rated the second most vulnerable country to cyber threats worldwide and it is interesting to note that only 1% of the country’s enterprises are ready to deal with cyberattacks.

Given this serious predicament of the country’s cyberspace, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) commits to continue supporting the Philippines’ Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) against increasing cybersecurity threats. 

JICA hosted a three-day training on Cybersecurity Risk Management from July 16 to 18, 2024 and this is a part of the two-year work plan of the ongoing project for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the Capacity Development on Cybersecurity supported by JICA under its dedicated technical cooperation program for the dispatch of experts to bolster the capabilities of the Philippine government.

During the ceremony, JICA highlighted that Japan’s unwavering and strong commitment to cooperate in the area of cybersecurity, which was also underscored during the Japan-Philippines-US Trilateral Summit Meeting held in Washington, D.C. in April 2024, denotes its continued cooperation with the Philippine government to enhance its capacity and develop talents that will guard the country’s safer cyberspace.

The training is the first undertaking after the said Trilateral Summit and is implemented as a joint initiative with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Project. JICA invites USAID’s lecturer who imparts basic knowledge on cybersecurity risk management, emerging threats, and latest measures. DICT is pleased with the effective support provided under the JICA-USAID collaborative action.

About eighty participants from DICT and related government agencies such as the Supreme Court, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Energy (DOE), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the National Telecommunication Commission, among others, attended the first day of training.

“JICA recognizes the pressing need to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity posture. In order to attain cyber resiliency of the government’s CII, we shall continue our support to the Philippine government to enhance its capacity particularly on sectoral coordination, and enhancing the country’s awareness on cybersecurity,” said JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema.

He added that, “With a vast number of potential cyber-attacks happening daily, data breach is a serious concern that we need to address immediately. Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing concern for the Philippines and the entire world in line with the promotion of digital transformation. We can share our knowledge, experiences and lessons learned with the spirit of Bayanihan. I am honored and delighted that we, JICA-DICT-USAID, are now materializing our first joint collaboration after the trilateral summit meeting in April very swiftly.”

The Philippines ranked 61^st out of 194 countries worldwide in the 2020 Global Cybersecurity index (GCI), placing below most ASEAN states.  According to IBM’s research, “National Cybersecurity Talent Workforce Assessment Report of the Philippines” (2022), the country had the highest number of users attacked by banking Trojans in the Asia-Pacific and is the 4^th most targeted country by cybercriminals in 2021. 

Present during the opening ceremony are DICT Assistant Secretary Philip Varilla, DFA Assistant Secretary Allan Deniega, Japanese Embassy to the Philippines’ Economic Minister NIHEI Daisuke, and USAID Acting Mission Director to the Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Rebekah Eubanks.

She was one of the first batch of JICA volunteers to return to the Philippines after the COVID-19 pandemic.

During her first year at the Rizal Experimental Station and Pilot School for Cottage Industries (RESPSCI) in Pasig City, Metro Manila, MIYAGAWA introduced authentic Japanese culinary techniques and hygiene practices among teachers and senior high school students (SHS) at RESPSCI. In her second year, she also taught junior high school students and teachers handicraft such as origami, the Japanese art of paper-folding, embroidery, fashion accessory making, and crochet. 

By working together with teachers from RESPCI, MIYAGAWA and her local counterparts were able to integrate Japanese and Filipino culture in culinary and handicraft education to promote professional growth and broader perspective among RESPSCI teachers while enhancing students’ creativity and encouraging them to pursue careers in related fields.

RESPSCI and JICA, through MIYAGAWA’s volunteer work, also published “Japoy” (Japanese Pinoy), a fusion recipe book to serve as reference for SHS cookery students and promote cultural appreciation among Filipinos. The recipe book is also designed for use of other schools that offer technical-vocational-livelihood track to inspire future culinary professionals and will also be a valuable resource once approved by the Department of Education-Schools Division of Pasig City.

“MIYAGAWA’s strong volunteer spirit and RESPSCI’s dedication truly exhibited Bayanihan and has proven to us that through mutual trust and respect, we can achieve things together,” said JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema.  “I am optimistic that the ‘Japoy’ recipe book, as her legacy, will also continue to foster mutual understanding and cultural exchange,” he added.

MIYAGAWA was named as one of the Outstanding Volunteers during the 2023 International Volunteer Day by the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) for her dedication to promoting cultural exchange and unwavering passion for sharing her culinary and handicraft expertise with Filipinos.

“My two-year stay in the Philippines has been an irreplaceable and enriching experience for me. The people I’ve worked with and the places I have visited made me truly understand and appreciate the Philippines. I hope that the students will evolve into skilled chefs with global culinary perspective and that the activities I have done together with my local counterparts will be sustained by RESPSCI and benefit more teachers and students in the future,” shared MIYAGAWA. 

The JOCV Program is one of JICA’s core initiatives, as part of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines, wherein Japanese volunteers share their knowledge and experiences and jointly work with counterparts to contribute to advancing the development of various sectors in the country, foster closer relations between two nations, and share with Japanese society the lessons learned from the volunteer experience.  Since 1966, JICA has dispatched about 1,700 JOCVs in the Philippines.

The Project envisions to improve the capability of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to quickly and appropriately respond to offshore and coastal maritime incidents through the delivery of five (5) new 97-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRVs).

During the signing of the Loan Agreement, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto extended his appreciation to the Government of Japan and JICA for being “a reliable ally of the Philippines in strengthening maritime security and other support for Filipinos”. He further added that “[the vessels] will complement broader infrastructure modernization program to spur rapid inclusive growth”.

Previously, JICA also supported the Philippine Government in acquiring ten (10) 44-meter MRRVs in 2013 and two (2) 97-meter MRRVs in 2016 which are currently the biggest vessels in PCG’s fleet.

JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema said, “signing the Loan Agreement for the MSCIP3 is a clear testament to the profound value of our unwavering joint efforts especially with PCG in saving human lives, protecting the environment and maintaining peace, among others.” SAKAMOTO also acknowledged and commended PCG’s humanitarian efforts in timely responding to several calls of distraught and tragedies ensuring safety of people, livelihood, and marine environment.

Also present during the signing were Japanese Ambassador ENDO Kazuya, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, PCG Deputy Commandant Allan Victor Dela Vega, National Economic and Development Authority Assistant Secretary Roderick Planta and Department of Foreign Affairs Director Princess Tomas-Tayao. 

JICA has also continuously been supporting PCG by combining hard and soft support, one of the unique characteristics of JICA’s cooperation, to ensure sustainability. As such, JICA has been providing technical assistance and training programs for decades to enhance PCG’s capacity in various areas such as maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental protection, and disaster response, among others.

The ironclad friendship that Japan and the Philippines have built through the years is proof that the relationship and cooperative efforts between the two countries will continue.

Japan has been a very dependable ally of the Philippines and supports the country in all possible endeavors. This year Japan and the Philippines are celebrating the 69^th anniversary of the normalization of the relationship, one year away from the Platinum Jubilee (70th Year) celebration.

Mindful of this time and tested friendship, both the Philippines and Japan have done several successful cooperations and a lot more in the pipeline such as in investment, business, maritime security cooperation, people-to-people, countryside development, education, and tourism, among others.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency ENDO Kazuya paid a courtesy visit to NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan on May 8, 2024, and discussed how Japan-Philippines can further enhance economic and development relations.

During the meeting, Ambassador Endo committed that Japanese public and private sectors would continue supporting President Marcos’s “Build Better More” policy, including ODA infrastructure projects. Similarly, Secretary Balisacan expressed profound gratitude to Japan for its continuous support and said he would strive to achieve national development goals in partnership with Japan.

Both vowed to collaborate closely to advance Japan-Philippines relations.

JICA, in partnership with the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), regularly sends Japanese volunteers to partner communities and local government units (LGUs) in response to a variety of development needs. The four newly arrived JICA volunteers now began working in areas of disaster education, agriculture, and advocacy and protection of disadvantaged children. 

“Our volunteers are more than ready and excited to work together with Filipinos, but they cannot do their tasks alone. They will need to collaborate with Filipino counterparts in LGUs and communities. JICA’s motto is ‘mutual understanding, mutual respect’. Through our mutual collaboration, we are reinforcing a cycle of doing good for the common good,” said JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema. 

KINOSHITA Tsuyoshi is an agriculturist with research experience in Japan and Ghana, Africa. He will share his knowledge in organic farming, soil management, hydroponics, and postharvest technology with the teachers and students at President Ramon Magsaysay State University in Zambales, in collaboration with his counterpart. 

MAEKAWA Miho has experience in promotional activities. She will work for the multi-platform marketing activities and others with non-profit group A Child’s Trust is Ours to Nurture Inc. (ACTION). ACTION, Inc. promotes the rights and welfare of children and has been recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Japan Foundation for their positive impact in various key areas of child protection.  

NISHIZAKI Kazuya is a professional in the field of customer relations and marketing having worked in a world-famous sports brand company in Japan and in the Tokyo Olympics Sports Village. He will also collaborate with ACTION for various activities.  

YAMAMOTO Shion is a skilled firefighter in Japan. He will work with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in La Trinidad, Benguet mainly to develop manuals on disaster preparedness and conduct emergency evacuation drills for grade school students in the area. 

These four young Japanese volunteers who join the JOCV Program bring with them new ideas and innovations assisting communities in addressing various development challenges. In the past, Japanese volunteers in the Philippines pioneered introducing design technology, animal breeding techniques, disaster management mobile app and tools, among others, helping their local counterparts and communities become more resilient and self-reliant. 

The JOCV Program is recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s Nobel equivalent, in 2016 for their work promoting mutual understanding and solidarity with Japan’s partner countries. To date, a total of 1,692 JICA volunteers has been dispatched to the Philippines.

JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema and DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan signed on January 17, 2024, the Record of Discussions for the Project for Enhancement of Flood Control Strategy in Prioritized River Basins. 

This new cooperation will update the master plans and pre-feasibility studies for flood control in Pasig-Marikina and Cagayan Rivers. The updated master plans, according to JICA, will be a “guidepost toward the achievement of 100-year flood safety even with climate change impact.” Throughout the project, JICA and DPWH will also hold basin-wide stakeholder consultations to gather feedback and lessons. 

“JICA’s approach to disaster resiliency has been tested many times. Our emphasis on disaster preparedness has worked in Japan. More importantly, we have observed that disaster preparedness can save lives and reduce economic losses even in other disaster-prone countries like the Philippines,” said JICA Chief SAKAMOTO. “This cooperation is vital especially in times of large-scale flood disasters and emergencies. It also proves why coordination and planning are needed,” SAKAMOTO added. 

JICA and DPWH have been working together to improve flood control infrastructure throughout the river basins. Rapid growth and recent typhoon disasters in the Philippines have led officials to come up with a national strategy to manage flood risks. 

JICA noted that with the right investment in flood control infrastructure, activities, and strategic approach, the Philippines could minimize the number of affected residents and economic losses during flood disasters. 

A simulation of the JICA study team based on Typhoon Ulysses data in 2020 showed that the close and serious endeavors for the river improvement under the JICA-DPWH cooperation since the 1970s reduced the impact of floods significantly in Manila. From estimated economic losses of $1.3 billion without the project, the losses have now gone to $0.2 billion. Through this cooperation, the number of residents affected by floods from Pasig-Marikina River had been reduced to 30,000, from the previous 1 million people. 

Over time, the JICA-DPWH cooperation proved that flood control requires a multi-faceted approach, consisting of the development of well-integrated masterplans, appropriate and timely investments, and capacity development.

The training is part of an ongoing cooperation of PAGASA with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Project for Capability Enhancement for High Quality Weather Observation, Forecast, Warning and Observation in the Philippines.

“Considering the persistent threat of heavy rainfall all year round in the Philippines, the lessons learned from Japanese experts gave us crucial insights that will be useful in developing probability of heavy precipitation and thunderstorm forecasts, as well as in establishing forecast support systems to improve the operational efficiency of PAGASA national and regional forecast offices,” said PAGASA Weather Specialist II and trainee, Robb Gile.

The cooperation aims to improve the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and warnings in the Philippines, which will enhance the country’s disaster preparedness initiatives. PAGASA is currently beefing up its weather operations and forecasting according to PAGASA Modernization Act of 2015. The agency has teamed up with JICA to upgrade Philippine weather forecasting using advanced technology and systems.

Filipino participants visited Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) during the training. They learned JMA’s technologies to predict heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, and operational procedures to issue and disseminate warnings and disaster risk reduction bulletins.

JICA said that the partnership with PAGASA will allow the Philippines boost its disaster resilience using knowledge from Japan.

“We have been working with PAGASA for decades and we are eager to collaborate to enhance their technical expertise using new technology. With climate change upon us, it’s important for countries to learn from one another’s experiences and adopt best practices to save more lives,” said JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has rolled out its training program for young Filipino professionals to boost human resource development in the field of regional development and disaster risk reduction management (DRRM).  

The training under the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) sent 13 Philippine government officers to study Japan’s disaster preparedness and response, regional revitalization during the process of disaster reconstruction, and community development. The participants learned about the history and experience of Iwate Prefecture, located in Tohoku region, on earthquake and tsunami damage reconstruction through activities conducted with local organizations that are exceptionally worthy to learn in terms of disaster-resiliency. 

“Like the Philippines, Japan is not spared from natural disasters. Japan’s geographical location also makes it vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunami and typhoons. Back in 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku Region offered us many lessons on DRRM including building back better. Take this opportunity to learn from and appreciate one another’s efforts in disaster management as much as possible,” said JICA Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema.  

During their training in Iwate Prefecture, the young leaders attended lectures about the Prefecture’s experience in disaster risk reduction such as tsunami damage and reconstruction, disaster prevention education, among many others. They also visited the Governor of Iwate Prefecture and the Mayor of Rikuzentakata City to facilitate knowledge exchange about Japan and the Philippines’ experience during disasters. 

Natural disasters and extreme weather ranked first in the World Risk Report 2023 as the risks most likely to pose the biggest threat in the Philippines.  Further, the Philippines ranks the highest in disaster risk among 193 countries. With the country’s predisposition to these hazards, JICA’s KCCP course on disaster risk reduction and community development plays a crucial role in capacitating Filipinos to formulate and implement interventions at all levels of society in support of the Philippine DRRM Act and Climate Change Act of 2009.  

Participants in this KCCP course came from both national and regional agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, National Economic and Development Authority, Ministry of the Interior and Local Government- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Local Government Unit of Sultan sa Barongis in