AFTER the Cebu governor twice visited Japan, it was now the Japanese governor’s turn to visit Cebu.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Saitama Prefecture Governor Kiyoshi Ueda yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “enhance cooperation in the field of human resource development” between the two countries.
Japanese students will learn English language here while Cebuano students will undergo training in Japan.
“After this MOU we would like to expand our relationship, our exchanges between Saitama and Cebu Province,” Ueda said through an interpreter.
After the MOU signing, Ueda visited the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) to meet potential scholars of the Saitama-Cebu Comprehensive Human Resource Monozuki Project.
The project, under the sponsorship of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is aimed at transferring Japanese Monozukuri philosophy and technology in manufacturing to Cebuanos.
Monozukuri is a Japanese manufacturing approach that aims to maximize customer satisfaction and create excellent products.
Through this program, 35 Cebuano students from three universities have been sent to Japan, all expenses paid, plus allowances, to undergo training, said Dean Virgilio Abellana.
He said that Pamela Beltran, an industrial engineer who completed the training, is now working in Ninomiya company in Japan, said Abellana, dean of the USJ-R College of Engineering.
Also yesterday, Japanese guests attended the blessing and opening of the Institute of Monozukuri (IOM) in USJ-R, said Abellana.
He said this will institutionalize the Monozukuri philosophy and integrate it with other subjects outside engineering.
The MOU signing between the two provinces yesterday was followed by another MOA signing between universities.
USJ-R, represented by Fr. Christopher Maspara and Fr. James Bumangabang, signed an agreement with Toyo University represented by Kazuo Takahashi, who signed for university president Makio Takemura.
Universities
Takashi Komeda, vice president of Shibaura Institute of Technology, signed on behalf of the institute.
Abellana said the other two universities in the project are University of San Carlos and Cebu Technological University.
In the MOU, Ueda and Davide agreed to help each other invigorate human resource development initiatives and promote student/teacher exchange for study through agreements between universities.
Internship
Both provincial governments also agreed to promote mutual exchange between university students and private enterprises through internship opportunities.
The two leaders also agreed to share information on a “cutting-edge training program” and use shared information to develop future education projects.
The MOU, however, imposes no legal and binding obligations whatsoever on either party.
Since the program rated high during evaluation, JICA decided to extend its period by another three years after it ended last November 2015.
The program started in 2013. Davide was invited to Japan last February 2014 and in the middle of 2015.
Sasaki Juichiro, JICA director general of Tokyo International Center, witnessed the signing. With Ueda yesterday were representatives from Saitama Resona Bank, Musashino Bank, Hanno Manufacturing.
Other Japanese companies based in Cebu who are also present were representatives from Kanepackage Phils., Philippine Ino Corp., Makoto Metal Technology, Mitsumi Electric Co., Ricoh Imaging (Pentax), Tamiya Corp., and Taiyo Yuden Corp.