Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya visited the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from September 4-6, 2025. This marks his third visit to the region, following earlier trips to Cotabato City and the surrounding area in June 2024, and Tawi-Tawi in June this year.
Japan has been contributing to the peace process in Mindanao for more than two decades. To date, more than 100 projects valued at over USD515 million have been undertaken under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) as part of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
During his visit, Ambassador Endo attended ceremonies and visited sites of ongoing projects funded by the Government of Japan.
He attended the launch of “Partnership for Informed Voting in BARMM” along with Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Attorney Aimee Ferolino and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran on September 4 in Upi, Maguindanao del Norte. This forms the third installment of the Government of Japan’s JPY234 million grant under “The Project for Raising Voters’ Awareness and Promoting Digitalization of Electoral Process in Bangsamoro,” implemented by the UNDP.
The voters’ education program includes a multilingual radio program, digital kiosk, and voter education app, targeted at increasing participation of women, indigenous peoples, and vulnerable groups, through familiarization of the electoral system of the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election.
Also in Upi, the Ambassador, accompanied by World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines Country Director Regis Chapman, visited one of the sites of “The Project for the Promotion of ‘Farm-to-School’ Meals Program Using Locally Harvested Products in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” implemented by the WFP. The project aims to establish a school meal program for targeted municipalities in BARMM to provide nutritious and diversified meals to around 10,000 students every school day; and strengthen linkages between local smallholder farmers and schools to enhance the integration of the school feeding supply chain.
While at the site, he joined parents and volunteers in preparing and serving meals to the children. He also engaged in a dialogue with local farmers who supply vegetables for the school feeding program.
Ambassador Endo ended his trip attending the turnover ceremony of heavy equipment to the Ministry of Public Works at the BARMM government compound in Cotabato City. This assistance forms part of the Government of Japan’s JPY957 million “Economic and Social Development Program (Construction Equipment for Road Network Improvement/Implementation and Disaster Quick Response Operation).”
Ten brand new wheel loaders were provided to strengthen the capacity of the MPW in infrastructure projects and disaster response, of which six units were ceremonially turned over during the event. Also included in the grant are 10 dump trucks, 10 excavators, and three aquatic plant harvesters, which will be arriving in batches at a later time.
