VIA GRAPHIC PLUS — On 27 October 2026, Ambassador KITAGAWA Katsuro signed three grant contracts under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) at the Embassy of Japan. The total grant amount of USD 290,761 (approximately PHP 17.8 million) will fund the provision of garbage dump trucks, a shuttle bus, and the construction of greenhouses to the grant’s recipient communities.
Prior to the signing, Ambassador Kitagawa met with the representatives of each recipient’s organization and had fruitful exchanges on their respective projects and the needs of the communities they serve. During these meetings, the Ambassador expressed his hopes that the projects would bring lasting benefits to local communities and further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Japan and the Philippines.
The details of the projects are as follows:
- The Project for the Provision of Garbage Dump Trucks for the Municipality of Aurora, Isabela
- Proponent: Municipality of Aurora, Isabela
- Grant Amount: USD 82,577 (PHP 5,070,285)
- Overview: The Municipality of Aurora, Isabela, faces growing waste management challenges as waste generation has increased, with only three (3) operational collection vehicles serving eight (8) barangays and one (1) public market. Existing services cover only 6.56% of the municipality’s total waste, limiting the effectiveness of its waste collection and disposal operations. Despite establishing barangay-level materials recovery facilities, composting areas, and information campaigns, limited collection capacity continues to hinder effective waste management. With a sanitary landfill scheduled to begin operations in the last quarter of 2026, the project 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.
- The Project for the Construction of Greenhouses in Uyugan, Batanes
- Proponent: Municipality of Uyugan, Batanes
- Grant Amount: USD 131,699 (PHP 8,129,825)
- Overview: The Municipality of Uyugan, Batanes, faces persistent food security challenges due to its location within the typhoon belt, where extreme weather conditions damage crops and limit agricultural productivity, increasing reliance on imported produce and raising commodity prices. These challenges threaten the livelihoods of local farmers and access to affordable, nutritious food, particularly for vulnerable households. The project will construct two (2) greenhouses to enable local farmers to cultivate high-value crops year-round. The 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.
- The Project for the Provision of a Shuttle Bus and Garage for a Youth Facility in Tacloban City, Leyte
- Proponent: Streetlight Philippines, Inc.
- Grant Amount: USD 76,485 (PHP 4,696,206)
- Overview: Northern Tacloban City, home to 100,000 residents relocated after Typhoon Haiyan, faces severe poverty, with 77% of families earning under PHP 10,000 monthly. In this high-risk area, the marginalized youth struggle to safely access education and social services. Streetlight Philippines, Inc. currently serves 565 direct beneficiaries (500 children aged 6 to 23 and 65 volunteer parents across 7 villages). However, the non-government organization lacks a reliable means of transport after its 14-year-old vehicle became unserviceable in 2025, forcing costly rentals with limited capacity. The project will procure a 29-seater passenger bus and construct a secure garage facility. This will cut rental costs, expand route capacity, and ensure safe transport, meal delivery, and emergency response capabilities for vulnerable children and families.
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.
The three projects signed bring the total number of GGP-supported projects in the Philippines to 571. Japan hopes that these initiatives will further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Japan and the Philippines, and contribute to advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
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 at the Embassy of Japan. The total grant amount of USD 290,761 (approximately PHP 17.8 million) will fund the provision of garbage dump trucks, a shuttle bus, and the construction of greenhouses to the grant’s recipient communities.){kind=link}