MANILA – Japan remained the Philippines’ largest source of official development assistance (ODA) in 2024, contributing $13.23 billion, or about one-third of the country’s total ODA portfolio, according to a government report released in July.
The 2024 ODA Portfolio Review of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said most of the Land of the Rising Sun’s aid was coursed through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), supporting 82 active loans and grants in areas such as transport infrastructure, governance, disaster risk reduction and peacebuilding in Mindanao.
JICA accounted for nearly half, or 47.68 percent, of ODA financing for the Philippines’ Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs), which include the Metro Manila Subway Project, the North-South Commuter Railway, the Davao City Bypass, and road networks in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
The Metro Manila Subway is expected to cut travel time from Quezon City to the airport to about 40 minutes, while the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway linking Clark to Laguna is projected to serve some 800,000 commuters daily. In Mindanao, the Davao City Bypass and new road projects are aimed at reducing travel time, boosting rural incomes, and improving access to schools, hospitals and markets.
DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the projects are vital to easing congestion, improving logistics and promoting more inclusive and regionally balanced growth.
Beyond infrastructure, Japan’s ODA also funded flood forecasting systems, expanded access to health services, provided maritime vessels for fishing communities and supported skills training programs for youth in underserved areas.
The Philippines and Japan have maintained a development partnership for more than seven decades. JICA said Japan’s sustained support reflects the two countries’ shared commitment to advancing inclusive and sustainable growth. - FJJ
