On August 4, a send-off ceremony was held at the Ambassador’s Residence for the 21st batch of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship by Japanese Grant Aid (JDS) Fellows from the Philippines. The twenty JDS Fellows are set to leave for Japan to pursue master’s degree courses in leading Japanese universities.

The JDS is a scholarship project launched in 2002 by the Government of the Philippines with funding from the Government of Japan through its Official Development Assistance. It is intended to support the socio-economic development of the Philippines by helping boost the capacities of young Filipino professionals from the government.

Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, in his opening remarks, stated that he looks forward to hearing the JDS Fellows’ valuable researches upon their successful completion of the program and seeing the fruits of their hard work as they serve their home country in the years to come. He also expressed his gratitude to the implementing partners of the JDS, and gave his well wishes to the JDS Fellows.

Also present at the send-off ceremony were Congressman Tsuyoshi Anthony G. Horibata of Camarines Sur (1st District), Undersecretary Joseph Capuno of the National Economic and Development Authority, Director Princess Tomas-Tayao of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines, and officers from the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) JDS Project Office in the Phillippines. Japan Information and Culture Center