JICA Officials visit ASFP Projects in Maguindanao

Cotabato City – Officials from the Embassy of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have conducted a project visitation to projects being funded by the Japanese government and implemented through the autonomous region’s Social Fund Project (ASFP) in the province of Maguindanao on Thursday, May 28, 2009.

Ms. Yukiko Sano, Project Formulation Advisor of JICA, Mr. Tomonori Kikuchi, Second Secretary and Mr. Yusuke Mori, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan visited the Multi-Purpose Center and Solar Drier and Warehouse at Barangay Datu Kiram in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Rehabilitation and Improvement of Polloc Road Port Access and Installation of 48 Rubber Fenders at Polloc, Parang municipality and the Construction of a Training Center for ARMM Integrated Agricultural Research Center of Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMMIARC) at Simuay, Sultan Kudarat town.

Out of the four hundred eight (408) JICA funded community based sub-projects under the Community Development Assistance (CDA) component of the ASFP in two hundred four different barangays regionwide, two hundred four (204) have been implemented while one hundred ninety eight (198) have been turned-over to the beneficiaries. More than twenty (20) projects are in the province of Maguindanao.

ASFP Project Manager Atty. Mustapha Sambolawan said the completion of the rehabilitation and improvement of the Polloc Port ensures the efficient and effective delivery of port services. It is expected to increase the volume of cargo within the port area and reduce the occurrence of accident and damages to cargos and port users.

The on-going construction of the ARMMIARC Training Center will help enhance and strengthen the services in terms of fisheries and agricultural research for the region. With ten (10) rooms Dormitory Facility, Kitchen and Mess Hall facility that can accommodate sixty (60) persons, the training center will serve as a venue for the conduct of necessary trainings for farmers and fisher folks and comfortable place to stay in for researchers in the region, Sambolawan added.

The autonomous regional government under the administration of Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan has been undertaking means to reduce poverty incidence, improve healthcare services and boost local economy in the region through massive development programs and projects.
Ms. Yukiko Sano said she is happy and grateful for the successful and impressive implementation of the JICA funded projects in the said municipalities.

The Japanese officials also visited a five (5) classrooms building with armchairs, teacher’s table and ceiling fan, at Datu Kiram Elementary School, Datu Odin Sisuat Maguindanao donated by the Embassy of Japan in 2006.

The Japanese government has been pouring in various community based and development projects in the region since year 2005 through loans from JICA to help improve the living conditions of the ARMM constituents and build peace in the ARMM communities.


JICA officials, Mr. Tomonori Kikuchi, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan; Ms. Yukiko Sano, Project Formulation Advisor and Mr. Yusuke Mori, First Secretary, also of Embassy of Japan listen to the story of a farmer from Barangay Datu Kiram, Datu Odin Sinsuat, province of Maguindanao. A Multi-purpose Center, Solar Drier and Warehouse, JICA-funded projects of ASFP, were recently constructed to provide livelihood to Datu Kiram farmers. (omar mangorsi/bpi-armm)


The construction of a training center for ARMM Integrated Agricultural Research Center of Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF-ARMMIARC) is currently on-going at Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, province of Maguindanao. The training center, a JICA-funded project of ASFP, will help enhance and strengthen the srevices of the Autonomous Regional Government in terms of fisheries and agricultural research. (omar mangorsi/bpi-armm)