Japan vows to support BARMM

SUPPORT ---  Japan Minister and Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Yasushi Yamamoto (extreme left) and his delegation during courtesy visit Thursday (October 17) to the Office of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority  Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong (extreme right). (PHOTO BY ZUL DIOLANAN, COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA UNIT, BTA PARLIAMENT / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY --- The Government of Japan reaffirms its support to the on-going peace building process in the Bangsamoro homeland following a courtesy visit last October 17 of Japan Minister and Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Yasushi Yamamoto and his delegation to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament.

Minister Yamamoto and his team were warmly received by BTA Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong. 

Members of the delegation included Japan Embassy’s First Secretaries Yosuke Tamabayashi and Ryusuke Ikeda, Japan International Cooperation Agency  Senior Representative Yo Ebisawa along with other JICA representatives Yukiko Sano, Hiroshi Takeuchi, and Toshinori Katsumata.

Yamamoto mentioned he arrived in the country only last month and stressed his visit in the BARMM was his ‘very first domestic business trip in the Philippines’.

“The reason why I chose Cotabato City as my first domestic business trip in the country was because of the assistance of the Japanese government to the BARMM. One of the most important pillars is to assist in the peace process in Mindanao. I am very delighted and honored to be here,” Yamamoto said.

In his message, Balindong shared to the delegates they are now concentrating with the priority legislation of the Bangsamoro Parliament and these are the priority bills mentioned in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“We need to finish them hopefully within the end of the year. These are the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, Bangsamoro Revenue Code, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, Bangsamoro Local Government Code, Bangsamoro Education Code, and the Bangamoro Civil Service Code. In addition, we also give focus on the creation of the different offices. Some members of the parliament are new to this, most especially for the former combatants and now that they are already in the legislation, it’s a big challenge,” Balindong stressed.

Balindong also acknowledged Japan’s assistance to the Bangsamoro people.

“It’s an honor to have you here in the BTA Parliament. We are truly thankful on your continued help to improve the lives of our people. Japan is also part of the International Monitoring Team and you are doing such a great job. We have one of the most beautiful pacts and we need your support and the international community in general,” he said.

As part of Japan’s commitment, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda earlier signed and exchanged notes with Food and Agriculture Organization Representative Jose Luis Fernandez and International Labour Organization Country Director Khalid Hassan, for two projects in the Bangsamoro region, as witnessed by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez.

The FAO project, which amounts to US $1.765 million, aims to assist farmers and fisher folks, including former combatants, women, and indigenous people, acquire various agricultural vocational expertise.

Earlier, Japan has also turned over  16 boom trucks to the National Electrification Administration (NEA) as part of Japan's 771 million yen support to the energy sector in Mindanao's conflict-affected areas.

Japan's Minister for Economic Affairs Makoto Iyori and JICA Chief Representative Yoshio Wada led the turn-over ceremony in Zamboanga together with officials from the NEA.

The project, Improvement of Equipment for Power Distribution in Bangsamoro Area, is a partnership between JICA and the Department of Energy (DOE) through NEA as support to peace building in Mindanao. The project will upgrade the power distribution equipment of the six electric cooperatives (ECs) operating in the area.

Data from the ECs showed an average of 26 percent energy loss due to the aging equipment used for energy transmission that have been built in the 70s

"Through JICA and NEA's partnership to improve power distribution in the Bangsamoro, we're confident that the region can maximize its resources to develop and diversify its economy. The boom trucks and equipment from the project can assist the electric cooperatives in the Bangsamoro in improving the local people's access to electricity and attract investments in the region," said Yoshio Wada, Chief Representative of JICA Philippines.

The Japanese government, in a previous report, said it is set to provide over P1.1 billion in grants for programs to be implemented in the newly created Bangsamoro region.

“We will support you with the peace building process and we assure you Japan shall continue with its effort to give aid to the Bangsamoro people,” Yamamoto said. (GILMHAR A. LAO, COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA UNIT, BTA PARLIAMENT / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)