Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa turned over Real-time Earthquake and Tsunami Monitoring Systems and a Tsunami Simulation Database to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Office (Phivolcs) during a ceremony on October 15 in Queson City, for the Japan-funded Project for Improvement of Equipment for Disaster Risk Management. The ceremony was also attended by the Assistant Secretary of Science and Technology Raymund Liboro.
The assistance, signed three years ago, provided 1 billion yen (approximately P518 million) for the installation monitoring systems and tsunami database, as well as the procurement of eight mobile drainage pumps which have been turned over on July 9, 2014 to Department of Public Works and Highways to assist the Philippines’ disaster risk reduction efforts.
Japan, as top Official Development Assistance donor to the Philippines and a disaster-prone country itself, has supported the Philippines’ disaster mitigation efforts by sharing its experiences and lessons learned from the past natural disasters. The project reaffirms the continued commitment of Japan to extend cooperation in minimizing threats of disasters. This project is expected to further foster the strategic partnership between the two countries and serve as a model for other disaster-prone areas of the Philippines.
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