Manila Bulletin

Japan, PH conclude 11th high-level meeting on infra, economic dev't cooperation

By ROY C. MABASA

The governments of Japan and the Philippines have successfully concluded the conduct of the 11th High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation between the two countries.

In the virtual meeting held on Wednesday, July 28, both sides recognized the significant developments achieved in ongoing joint infrastructure projects and pandemic-response cooperation measures as a result of the high-level joint committee meetings held in the past few years.

Some of the fruits of the previous Philippines-Japan engagements include the Metro Manila Subway rolling stock contract signing, LRT-2 extension, Parañaque Spillway Flood Control Feasibility Study, COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan, Post-Disaster Standby Loan Phase 2, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine provision, and cold chain facility development for the vaccination rollout.

Dr. Izumi Hiroto, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, welcomed the completion of the one trillion yen (approx. P476 billion) public and private financing commitment to the Philippines made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017.

Completed in less than five years, the Abe financing commitment was capped with the signing of the Exchange of Notes for the second phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project on July 27, 2021.

Aside from Hiroto, among those who participated in the virtual meeting were Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua.

The High-Level Joint Committee Meeting between Japan and the Philippines has been conducted biannually since the start of the Duterte administration. It serves as a good venue for both countries to take stock of the progress made in accordance with the “Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation for the Next Five Years” issued in October 2017.

Also on Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide and President Duterte exchanged video messages to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Philippines-Japan bilatetal relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two Asian countries.

In his video message to Duterte, Suga cited the strong bond between the two countries and highlighted their successful collaborations throughout the years.

The Japanese leader narrated efforts of both countries to work closely together in battling the coronavirus pandemic and Japan’s role in providing the Philippines with Overseas Development Assistance loans, vaccines, and medical equipment in contribution to the Philippines’ pandemic response.

As a huge supporter of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, Suga said Japan has been a reliable partner of the Philippines through public and private sector engagement, citing among others, other major undertakings like the Metro Manila Subway Project, the Philippines’ first-ever subway line.

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2021-07-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

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