JICA publishes new ODA map in Philippines featuring multi-sector cooperation projects
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) published its new Official Development Assistance (ODA) map detailing the bilateral aid agency’s ongoing development cooperation supporting the Philippines’ economic recovery in the new normal.
The JICA ODA map lists about 80 cooperation projects that JICA implements with various government agencies and local government units (LGUs) in the country in areas such as governance, economic infrastructure, investment promotion and economic development, disaster risk reduction and management, agriculture and agribusiness development, environment and energy, health and social development as well as initiatives for peace and development in Mindanao.
“Japan’s ODA in the Philippines accounts for 36.44 percent or $11 billion of the Philippines’ total ODA in 2020. This is testament to the trusted bilateral relations between JICA and the Philippines and our collective goal to overcome not just the pandemic challenges, but also to support the rule of law, and economic prosperity through infrastructure, connectivity, and regional peace and stability,” said JICA Chief Representative Azukizawa Eigo.
In 2020 alone, the total value of JICA programs implemented in the Philippines amounted to 145 billion yen.
The ODA map outlines JICA’s ongoing infrastructure projects in the country, specifically railway infrastructure such as Capacity Enhancement for Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila, North-South Commuter Railway Project (Malolos-Tutuban and Malolos-Clark-Blumentritt), Metro Manila Subway Project, as well as technical assistance for the Philippine Railway Institute (PRI).
Further, to support the Philippine health care system and COVID-19 response management, JICA is also implementing health and social development projects to benefit sectors such as Filipino young professionals in government, children in residential care facilities, local communities as well as in areas such as rehabilitation and treatment of illegal drug users, and other public health issues such as rabies prevention.
JICA added that the ongoing cooperation aligns with the Philippine government’s socio-economic priorities under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
JICA is the executing agency of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA), which handles technical cooperation, ODA loans and investment, and grant aid, as well as cooperation volunteers and disaster relief programs.
JICA is the world’s largest bilateral aid agency with its scale of operations amounting to about $16.37 billion for JFY 2019 and a worldwide network of almost 100 overseas offices including the Philippines. JICA
