JICA president visits Maguindanao

The head of the world’s largest bilateral aid agency traveled to the Philippines this week to personally turn over a school building project in North Upi, Maguindanao.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka visited Mindanao, particularly the municipality of North Upi where JICA helped build a school building.

The school was part of the Japanese aid agency’s R73-million quick impact projects (QIPs) for the region’s peace and development. The school building is among the 20 ongoing QIPs supported by JICA to help boost inclusive development in the region.

According to the Japanese Embassy in Manila, the QIPs in Mindanao were idea as that came up when Tanaka attended the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signing and had subsequent meetings with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, and President Aquino.

The QIPs were identified to ensure that people will be able to see immediate peace dividends and remain hopeful about the benefit and prospects of the peace process.

The Japanese embassy said the QIPs include a variety of sub-projects such as multi-purpose halls, a warehouse with a solar dryer, and school buildings, and will benefit the barangays in conflict-affected areas like Maguindanao, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Basilan, Sulu, Sarangani, Tawi-Tawi, Sultan Kudarat, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The QIPs are also part of JICA’s 1.2-billion yen Comprehensive Capacity Development Project for the Bangsamoro (CCDP-B), which was formulated to assist the work of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA). CCDP-B aims to address the various needs of the Bangsamoro in the different stages of transition, from the formation of the BTC to the creation of the new government.

The Japanese embassy said that, as part of CCDP-B, JICA and BDA, also launched a study that aims to support the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP). The study includes an assessment of the state of agriculture, fisheries, investment, and banking, in the future autonomous region. The interim report, recently disclosed by BDA, mentioned that if implemented as planned, the BDP will help create approximately 550,000 jobs, and boost Mindanao’s economy by around 7.4 percent growth per annum.

During his visit to Mindanao, Tanaka declared that JICA will continue to support the Philippines in moving forward peace and development in Mindanao. He also said that through the QIPs like the school building and other socio-economic infrastructure, JICA hopes to create more opportunities and a better future for the young people, and for the many displaced people in conflict-affected areas.