Saturday, October 25, 2008 Japan reiterates support to Mindanao
KORONADAL CITY -- The Japanese government remains committed to help achieve peace and development in the Southern Philippines, a top Japanese aid worker said.
Hiromi Kitabayashi, Japan International Cooperation Agency resident representative to the Philippines, said that Japan will continue to be supportive of the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
She was in Cotabato City earlier last week for the "1st Inception Report on the Study of Infrastructure Development Plan for Armm," which is jointly conducted by the Japanese aid agency and the regional government.
Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) declared that the controversial memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) is unconstitutional.
The Bangsamoro homeland deal seeks to include areas outside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm). It gives wider political and economic powers to the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).
Many of Japan's infrastructure assistance to Mindanao have been poured in the autonomous region.
Kitabayashi, in a report from the state news agency Philippine Information Agency, believes that attaining a sustainable peace and development is the "key" towards the economic growth of the Armm, the country's poorest region.
She said that constructing roads and bridges in the Armm will connect the region to other developing areas, thus it will boost the economic growth of the Armm.
Diamadel E. Dumagay, Armm Regional Planning and Development Office executive director, lauded Japan for its continued support in peace and development initiatives in the region.
He cited that 55 percent of families in the region live below the poverty threshold, thus the need for more foreign-supported economic programs to address the high poverty incidence in the area.
