JICA signs grant aid with NEDA to support capacity building of Filipinos in gov’t

July 10, 2017

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Monday signed a 264 million yen Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) to help build the capacity and skills of Filipino professionals. “We value our relationship with the Philippines and fully support the government’s efforts to build the capacity of its people, particularly Filipino professionals working in government,” said JICA Chief Representative Susumu Ito during the signing ceremony. Under the grant aid, 20 Filipinos working in government agencies will take post-graduate courses in Japan’s leading universities, such as International University of Japan, Kobe University, Meiji University, International Christian University, and Nagoya University to name a few, a statement by JICA Monday said. The Filipino scholars are taking studies relevant to the socio-economic agenda of the Philippines and will attend lectures and leadership trainings on Japan’s development experience and emerging development issues. Among the post-graduate courses the scholars will take are infrastructure and industry development, public policy, financial reforms, and small and medium enterprise (SME) promotion. “Historically, Japan’s economic resurgence depended on education and human resource development among other factors. We aim to continue sharing Japan’s accumulated knowledge and expertise as well as the challenges we face with our partner countries like the Philippines to promote inclusive development,” added Ito. To date, the Philippines is among the top recipients of Japan’s scholarship project, along with China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos from all 14 countries that received the scholarship. Filipino JDS scholars, added Ito, are also ambassadors in their own way “representing the long-standing relations between JICA and the Philippines.” A number of Filipino JDS scholars now hold key positions in government and are also experts in their respective fields. To date, 259 Filipinos have received the JDS. DMS