Press Releases
Signing and Exchange of Notes Concerning the Grant Assistance to the Republic of the Philippines
On January 22, in Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines, Mr. ENDO Kazuya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Philippines, and Ms. Tristan BURNETT, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration Country Office in Philippines, signed and exchanged notes concerning the Grant Assistance “the Project for Strengthening Maternal and Child Health Services for Internally Displaced Persons on the Remote Islands of the Conflict-Affected Areas” (grant amount: 516 million yen).
- The provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, located in the remote island areas of Mindanao, have lagged in socioeconomic development due to years of conflict, which has resulted in limited access to prenatal care, skilled birth attendants, and medical facilities. As maternal mortality and infant mortality rates remain high, it is an urgent priority to promote the improvement of health facilities and the capacity development of healthcare workers for providing maternal and child health services.
- Japan has been providing support to promote peace, stability, development and growth in Mindanao for many years. This project, as part of these efforts, will implement the following in the target provinces: renovation of medical facilities; provision of equipment (including portable ultrasound machines, autoclaves (high-pressure steam sterilizers), delivery tables, etc.); capacity building for medical personnel; and support for target medical facilities to obtain Philippine national certifications related to maternal and child health. It is expected to strengthen the maternal and child health service delivery system, thereby contributing to the development and growth of the Mindanao region through improvement of the health conditions of vulnerable citizens, including internally displaced persons.
(Reference) Basic Data on the Republic of the Philippines
The Republic of the Philippines has an area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers, a population of about 115.84 million people (2024, World Bank), and a gross national income (GNI) per capita is 4,470 USD (2024, World Bank).