2KR Liaison Committee tackles ongoing initiatives, proposed project for Yolanda-hit areas

As part of the bilateral agreement between the Governments of Japan and the Philippines, the Japan 2KR Liaison Committee meeting among the Embassy of Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) was held last January 22, 2014 to discuss the status of the implementation of the 2KR Grant as well as the proposed project for areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

NEDA Public Investment Staff Director Florante Igtiben (seventh from left) presides the Japan 2KR Liaison Committee meeting among officials from the Embassy of Japan, JICA, NEDA, DA and PCAF held at the NEDA Office in Pasig City.

PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan presented the status of the counterpart funds or the peso proceeds, the ongoing agriculture and fishery projects funded out of the peso proceeds and publicity and promotion initiatives for the projects and activities under the 2KR Grant or the Japanese Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers.
Currently, there are six on-going projects under the 2KR Grant with an approved project cost of PHP 830.1 million. The projects are the Agrikultura: Kaagapay ng Bayang Pinoy (AKBay) Program, Enhancing Rural Employment Through Promotion of Village-Based -Dairy Enterprises, Enhancing Farmers’ Capacity to Access, Analyze and Utilize Statistical Information, Rehabilitation of Small-Scale Irrigation Projects for Upland Productivity and Resource Sustainability, Upgrading of the Pesticide Residue Laboratories, and Rehabilitation and Modernization of Livestock “Oksyon” Markets.

Dir. Cayanan also presented the proposed AKBay Phase II project that aims to assist the rehabilitation efforts for areas affected by typhoon Yolanda. PCAF Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap discussed the details of the strategies for the AKBay II implementation during the open forum.

Willie de Perio of the NEDA Monitoring and Evaluation Staff presented the status of the agency’s implemented Japan 2KR social development projects and Junibert de Sagun of the DA Project Development Service (PDS) gave updates on the status of 1998 Japan 2KR assistance for the drought victims in Mindanao.

PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan, together with Special Projects Division Chief Elgie Namia and PCAF Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap, discusses the status of the peso proceeds, ongoing projects and the proposed AKBay II project for Yolanda-hit areas with the Japanese officials.

Embassy of Japan’s First Secretary, Agriculture Ryutaro Aoki thanked PCAF for the comprehensive presentation and asked about the AKBay II proposal, particularly on the assurance that there will be no duplication of assistance given by other donors and organizations.

JICA Resident Representative Yohiyuki Ueno, on the other hand, stressed the immediate need to facilitate the preparatory process so that the Japanese government could soon issue its concurrence to the project.

JICA Senior Program Officer on Poverty Reduction Ervin Mella, Jr. also emphasized the need to ensure that the assistance is given to typhoon-affected individuals who are in most need of it.

NEDA Public Investment Staff Director Florante Igtiben presided the meeting which was also attended by JICA DA Resident Expert Takashi Fujimori, DA-PDS representatives, directors and officers of NEDA’s Public Investment Staff, Agriculture Staff, Monitoring and Evaluation Staff and Regional Development and Coordination Staff, and PCAF officers and staff.

See also: http://nafc.da.gov.ph/NAFCNEWs/2014/liaison.html