Reception Hall, Malacañan Palace
January 12, 2017
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, along with Prime Minister Shinzō Abe of Japan, witnessed the signing of several memoranda of cooperation and exchange of notes in signing ceremonies at the Malacañan Palace.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa signed and exchanged notes for an economic and social development program that included a high speed boat for the Philippine Coast Guard in support of the joint maritime security cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.
Both countries also agreed in committing to low carbon emission growth in a Memorandum of Cooperation for Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), a program of the Japanese government that aims to facilitate global actions on reducing greenhouse gases. The memorandum was signed by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Regina ‘Gina’ Lopez and Ambassador Ishikawa.
Another memorandum signed was on the cooperation of the Philippine and Japanese coast guards to further secure territorial waters from malicious elements. The signatories were DFA Secretary Yasay and Head of Japan Coast Guard, Mr. Nakajima.
Cooperation between the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), the People’s Television Network (PTV), and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan to enhance the capability and capacity of both countries’ government media services were formally recognized in a memorandum signed by Government Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) and Good Governance Undersecretary George Apacible, PTV General Manager Dino Antonio Apolonio, and Japan Vice Minister for Policy Coordination Shigeki Suzuki.
A loan agreement for Land Bank of the Philippines’ project HARVEST (Harnessing Agribusiness Opportunities through Robust and Vibrant Entrepreneurship Supportive of Peaceful Transformation) was also signed to support Filipino farmers. The signatories included Land Bank President and CEO Virgilio Buenaventura and a representative from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
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