Pasay City, Philippines — On October 29, 2024, Japan, through its Embassy in the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), introduced two major health initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These projects, funded at JPY 724 million (approximately PHP 275 million), were announced during a side event at the International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) held at the Philippine International Convention Center. The event underscored Japan’s commitment to promoting women’s health, security, and empowerment in BARMM, aligned with the Philippines’ National Action Plan on WPS.
Courtesy of Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.
Titled “Human Security towards a Resilient BARMM – Japan’s Approach in Promoting WPS Focusing on Health,” the side event highlighted Japan’s human security efforts to support maternal and child health, improve nutrition, and empower women as a pathway to peace and prosperity in BARMM.
The JPY 724 million project, funded by the Japanese government, will address women’s health needs and gender-based violence in BARMM through two distinct initiatives. First, The Project for the Protection and Empowerment of Women for Addressing Women’s Health Needs and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in BARMM, implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the BARMM Ministry of Social Services and Development, will target critical women’s health issues and strengthen protection against gender-based violence.
The second initiative, The Project Strengthening Services in Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Improvement in BARMM, is a technical cooperation project by JICA in partnership with the BARMM Ministry of Health. This project aims to elevate maternal and child health services, improving health outcomes and creating a stronger healthcare system across the region.
The event was attended by distinguished leaders, including Secretary Amenah Pangandaman of the Department of Budget and Management, BARMM ministers, and Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity. Other notable guests included Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, UNFPA Philippines Country Representative Leila Saiji Joudane, and key JICA advisors.
In his remarks, Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko emphasized the profound commitment of Japan to support BARMM’s sustainable development. He expressed optimism that these projects will strengthen health services, bolster women’s resilience to social, economic, and disaster-related risks, and contribute meaningfully to a stable and prosperous Bangsamoro region.
