Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., (L) offers a cup of Sake to Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa (R) during a groundbreaking for two underground stations of the Metro Manila Subway Project in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 03 October 2022. The groundbreaking in Pasig City is part of the construction of a 33-kilometer underground railway system aimed at improving the country's mass transport infrastructure with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Rolex Dela Pena, EPA-EFE/File
The Philippine and Japanese governments aim to resume joint projects that were stalled because of the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said on Wednesday.
Marcos said they may also start new government-to-government (G2G) projects.
“We’re finalizing some of the projects that, for example, were postponed because of the pandemic lockdowns and also now some new projects that are follow on from kung ano ‘yung dati,” Marcos told reporters on board the presidential plane, en route to his 3-day official visit in Tokyo.
“So that’s why kung titignan niyo ‘yung schedule, very specific; may purpose ang bawat meeting, hindi ‘yung general introduction of the Philippines to the EU (European Union) or to another country,” he added.
Early last year, Japan approved "small-scale projects" across parts of the Philippines worth P20 million under its "Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects" program.
The set of projects is an Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) scheme of the Japanese government that focuses on small-scale projects.
A report from Kyodo News last week, meanwhile, stated that Japan is considering to provide the country more than 200 billion yen or around $1.6 billion annually, possibly for the next 5 years, to help the country in its infrastructure development.
Marcos' visit aims to "maximize the full potential of PH-Japan strategic partnership in all its aspects and facilitate closer defense, security, political, economic, and people-to-people ties," DFA Assistant Secretary Nathanial Imperial said last week.