Japanese Ambassador Kitagawa Katsuro recently signed three grant contracts under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) at the Embassy of Japan in Manila.
The total grant amount of USD290,761 (PHP17.8 million) will fund projects at the grant’s recipient communities in the Philippines.
Prior to the signing, Ambassador Kitagawa met with the representatives of each recipient organization and expressed his hopes that the projects would bring lasting benefits to local communities and further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Japan and the Philippines.
One of the three projects is the provision of garbage dump trucks for the Municipality of Aurora, Isabela, valued at USD82,577 (PHP5.070 million). This initiative will provide two additional mini dump trucks to expand residual waste collection, improve service coverage across all barangays, and promote cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable communities.
Another project is the construction of greenhouses in Uyugan, Batanes, valued at USD131,699 (PHP8.129 million). This initiative will strengthen local food security, support sustainable agriculture, and supply fresh produce to the municipality’s planned agro-tourism area and LGU-operated Ivatan House Homestay, creating additional livelihood opportunities while promoting agricultural and tourism development.​
Lastly, part of the signed grant contracts also includes the provision of a 29-seater shuttle bus and construction of a secure garage for a youth facility in Tacloban City, Leyte, valued at USD76,485 (PHP4.696 million). This initiative will cut rental costs, expand route capacity, and ensure safe transport, meal delivery, and emergency response capabilities for vulnerable children and families.​
The three projects bring the total number of GGP-supported projects in the Philippines to 571.
As the Philippines’ top official development assistance (ODA) donor, the Government of Japan launched the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) scheme in the Philippines in 1989 to support small-scale projects that directly benefit local communities and contribute to socioeconomic development.
