The Japanese Embassy has turned over new classrooms for Del Pilar Elementary School in New Corella, Davao del Norte under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project.
On Tuesday, Second Secretary Atsushi Kobayashi of the Embassy of Japan attended the turnover ceremonies for the project approved in 2016 and is part of Japan’s Official Development Assistance through the GGP.
The grant covered the construction of four units of classrooms with the necessary school amenities, which will directly benefit more than 650 students in the municipality.
Regional Director Alberto Escobarte of the Department of Education Region XI, and Schools Division Superintendent Josephine S. Fadul of Davao del Norte also graced the ceremony.
Every year, enrollment in Del Pilar Elementary School has been continuously increasing. Due to the limited capacity of the municipality to construct new classrooms, there is congestion in the existing school buildings, Kobayashi noted.
This limitation also triggered the school to utilize existing dilapidated classrooms to conduct classes for the students, the diplomat said.
In line with the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) Phase 1, and through the GGP, the Embassy of Japan provided New Corella with a grant of $77,991 (about P3.2 million) to address the shortage of classrooms in Del Pilar Elementary.
The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor for the Philippines, launched the GGP in the Philippines in 1989 to help reduce poverty and helping various communities engage in grassroots activities.
At present, 543 grassroots projects have been implemented by the GGP.
Japan believes that these projects will not only strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute in sustaining the strategic partnership between the two countries, Kobayashi said.
Since 2006, Japan has been intensively implementing the GGP and other ODA projects for conflict-affected areas in Mindanao worth over $200 million.