The government of Japan has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Philippines’ major infrastructure projects, according to the Department of Finance.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said Japan would provide financial assistance for key bridge, spillway and maritime projects to improve connectivity, enhance safety and boost the quality of life for Filipinos.
The Philippine economic and infrastructure team, led by Recto, met with the Japanese government on Sept. 11, 2025 in Osaka to discuss the progress of key projects supported by Japan.
The Japanese government was represented by Dr. Mori Masafumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister.
“Today’s discussions confirmed steady progress in cooperation across various fields, including large-scale infrastructure development, disaster prevention, information and communications, energy, and the Mindanao peace process,” Dr. Masafumi said.
“Your [Japanese government] confidence will be invested properly in the future of our people. Every yen and every peso will be made to work harder and go farther. We will meet your trust with transparency, predictability, and delivery,” Recto said.
Among the big-ticket projects in the pipeline for Japanese financing for JFY 2025 to 2026 is the 2.611-kilometer Second San Juanico Bridge Construction Project, which will connect the Leyte and Samar Islands via the municipalities of Babatngon and Sta. Rita.
This will cut travel time, lower transport costs and open new economic opportunities for local businesses and workers in the Visayas region.
Meanwhile, the Parañaque Spillway Construction Project is designed to protect thousands of families in the Laguna Lakeshore areas by reducing flood inundation by up to 37 percent during extreme weather events.
The project will channel excess lake water from Laguna Lake into Manila Bay through Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Bacoor via an underground drainage system, safeguarding homes, livelihoods and communities.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Support Facility Development Project in the Subic Bay Area aims to enhance the PCG’s operational capacity to strengthen maritime safety, ensuring safer seas for Filipino fisherfolk, travelers and local communities.
Both sides also discussed project status updates, implementation challenges, and corresponding resolutions and next steps for ongoing projects funded by Japan.
These include the North-South Commuter Railway Project, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Rehabilitation Project, and the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project, among others.
Updates on Japan’s significant contributions to the reconstruction in Mindanao were also tackled, with discussions centering on the country’s progress on the peace process and the Japanese government’s contributions in Mindanao.
Japan continues to be the country’s largest official development assistance provider (ODA), with commitments amounting to $14.19 billion (about P805.76 billion) or 39.15 percent of the total ODA portfolio as of March 2025.
The high-level meeting was held on the sidelines of the 2025 Osaka Expo and the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB).
The Philippine delegation is set to conduct site visits to learn from Japan’s major infrastructure projects.
