Phl, Japan sign P9.6-B ODA projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Japan have signed agreements for six official development assistance (ODA) projects amounting to 22.289 billion yen or around P9.6 billion.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa signed and exchanged notes on Thursday for four of the projects amounting to 2.789 billion yen or around P1.195 billion.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Japan International Cooperation Agency representative Noriaki Niwa signed two loan agreements amounting to 19.5 billion yen or roughly P8.356 billion. 

The ODA projects include community development in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao worth 1.117 billion yen to be implemented by the Department of Agriculture.

The grant for a mini-hydropower plant development project to be implemented by the Department of Energy in Ifugao is worth 922 million yen.

A 250-million yen project will support the procurement of weather, rainfall and river observation systems by the state weather bureau and various equipment and machinery by the Department of Public Works and Highways. Some 500 million yen will assist national and local governments in responding and adapting to climate change and disasters. 

The two loan agreements will fund the Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project and Flood Risk Management for the Cagayan de Oro River.