RP to get $1.3B from Japan after Abe visit

MANILA--Japan remains the Philippines' biggest foreign funding donor, committing an estimated $1.3 billion in investment, grant and loans to the country -- including providing assistance to the country's weather bureau -- during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recently concluded two-day official visit.
"If you add all the projects, I know they were discussing around $1.3 billion," Domingo Siazon, Jr., Philippine ambassador to Tokyo, told reporters in an interview.

Siazon said the amount did not include the grants from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The envoy said that in the power sector alone, Japan committed more than $400 million for development assistance.

The Japanese Embassy earlier said Japan would provide grassroots assistance through economic cooperation projects in Mindanao worth $624,000 to support the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"Japan is by far our largest donor (country). Up to 2005, they have given us a total of $22 billion of ODA (Official Development Assistance)," Siazon said Saturday.

In a press conference on the eve of his departure from Manila, Abe said his country would be providing assistance to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the state weather bureau, to "step up" its capabilities.

Abe's trip to Manila was cut short after the Philippine government deferred the Asian summit meetings, citing a typhoon that the PAGASA had said would not even directly hit Cebu City, site of the meetings.

"My stay was very short but I am greatly satisfied with the result," Abe said, adding he was "grateful to the warm welcome" accorded him by the Philippine government and the people.

Abe also took the opportunity to express his sympathy and condolences to the victims of the mudslides brought by Typhoon "Reming" (internationale code name: Utor) last week in the Bicol province.