AMBASSADOR Endo Kazuya signed a grant contract for the project titled “Promoting Peace Education and Enhancing Learning Environment for Coexistence in Barangay Siguel” with the Japanese non-governmental organization (NGO) ChildFund Japan on March 17.
The total grant, amounting to USD 321,273 (approximately PHP 18.92 million*1), is supported under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects.
Barangay Siguel is a rural area where residents of diverse backgrounds, including ethnic minorities and Muslims, coexist. However, in addition to poverty and inadequate educational environments, discrimination and prejudice exist due to differences in tribal and religious values.
In particular, delays in response in educational settings exacerbate social issues, and fostering mutual understanding and dialogue among young people from different cultural backgrounds is an urgent concern. Additionally, teachers and school staff have had limited opportunities for training on approaches to working with students from diverse backgrounds, and strengthening educational ethics that contribute to regional peace remains an important consideration.
The project will replace dilapidated classrooms and install sanitation facilities at a public junior and senior high school serving 1,577 students. It will also promote peace and multicultural coexistence through education and training for students of diverse ethnic backgrounds, helping them develop mutual understanding and dialogue skills to overcome prejudice and discrimination. Teachers will also receive training on teaching methods that support regional peace and intercultural understanding. After the training, students will lead peer teaching, multicultural exchanges, and sports or recreational programs, ultimately contributing to peace and harmony in the community.
In the Philippines, the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects was initiated in 2002. Since then, the Government of Japan has awarded contracts for 69 projects in the Philippines under this scheme, amounting JPY 2.092 billion (approximately 780 million pesos*2) in total. Japan believes that these projects will not only strengthen the friendship between the peoples of the Philippines and Japan but also bolster the existing strategic partnership between the two countries.
