MANILA, Philippines — Manila and Tokyo signed seven agreements on humanitarian assistance, infrastructure and agriculture during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official working visit to Japan, Malacañang said.
Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida witnessed the signing of agreements on Thursday.
“After our meeting, I can confidently say that our Strategic Partnership is stronger than ever as we navigate, together, the rough waters buffeting our region,” Marcos said.
The president also said that Japan is “one of the Philippines’ closest neighbors and closest friends.”
Kishida expressed Japan’s intention to contribute to the development of transport infrastructure in the Philippines and support the administration’s priority of increasing the productivity of agriculture and achieving food security.
Here are the agreements:
- Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR) Project (II)
- Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: NSCR – Malolos to Tutuban Project (II)
- Loan Agreement for the NSCR Extension Project (II)
- Loan Agreement for the NSCR – Malolos to Tutuban Project (II)
- Umbrella Terms of Reference (TOR) on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Cooperation.
- Memorandum of cooperation (MOC) between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Agriculture Cooperation
- MOC in the Field of Information and Communications Technology
Marcos also said that Manila and Tokyo agreed to cooperate more closely in areas of economic cooperation, security and defense cooperation, maritime security and safety, healthcare mechanisms, environmental commitments and people-to-people exchanges.
“Furthermore, there are cultural cooperation, regional peace initiatives, and nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, among others,” he said. — Gaea Katreena Cabico