Japan offers US$700-million development aid to Philippines

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has renewed its offer to provide at least US$700 million in aid to the Philippines in 2010, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

 

The agency has started drawing up official development assistance (ODA) strategies for South-east Asia and individual countries in the region.

 

"It is timely that Jica is developing a new country assistance strategy as the Philippine government is preparing for the next Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan," said Rolando G. Tungpalan, deputy director at the Neda.

 

"We hope that Jica's country strategy would dovetail with the Philippines' next development plan," he said.

 

Jica was willing to support more programmes and projects especially in the areas of capacity building, operation and maintenance, and climate change, according to Tungpalan.

 

One of them is a programme that promotes innovative farming and environmental preservation techniques.

 

Dubbed the "Grant Assistance for the Food Security of Underprivileged Farmers" (GAUF), the programme is now on its 31st installment.

 

The grants are in the form of farm inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, machinery and other equipment.

 

These are then publicly bid in the local market and the proceeds are used to finance agriculture and environment projects.