TOKYO, JAPAN — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday lauded the signing of seven key agreements between Tokyo and Manila at the momentous bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
During the two leaders’ meeting, the Philippine leader described Japan as a “trusted friend and a solid and steadfast partner in our quest for peace and for progress.”
“The Prime Minister and I have just had a deeply engaging bilateral meeting covering the full range of Philippines-Japan bilateral relations,” he said.
“And after our meeting, I can confidently say that our Strategic Partnership is stronger than ever as we navigate, together, the rough waters buffeting our region.”
The President said the Philippines will continue to be a friend of Japan under his administration as the two countries “continue to deepen and expand our engagements across a wide range of mutually beneficial cooperation.”
The seven agreements signed cover various areas of mutual cooperation including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital cooperation.
These agreements are the Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project; Exchange of Notes on Japanese Official Development Project: NSCR – Malolos to Tutuban Project; and Loan Agreement for the NSCR Extension Project.
Also signed were the Loan Agreement for the NSCR – Malolos to Tutuban Project; Umbrella Term of Reference on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Cooperation.
The deals also include a memorandum of cooperation between the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Agriculture Cooperation; and a MOC in the Field of Information and Communications Technology.
Marcos said the signing of the MOC in the Field of Information and Communications Technology indicates the two countries’ “plans to cooperate in the new global and digital economy, thus providing added connectivity in every facet of our relationship.”
The signing of the MOC on Agricultural Cooperation, he said, is aligned with my priority to harness the agricultural sector and ensure food security.
The President added that the signing of the Diplomatic Notes and Loan Agreements on the North-South Commuter Railway Project and Extension highlights the value that the two nations place in connectivity and improving transportation services.
“It is also a testament to Japan’s contribution in uplifting the daily lives of ordinary Filipinos by sharing Japanese technology and expertise in infrastructure and connectivity,” he said.
“The signing of the Terms of Reference on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief underscores our joint efforts to value human lives above all and to ensure that we remain resilient and responsive amidst natural and man-made disasters.”
For Marcos, the exchange of high-level visits between Manila and Tokyo is “one of the main features of our relations and is a testament to the very deep level of friendship that we have enjoyed for almost seven decades now.”
It is the second time that Kishida and Marcos held a bilateral meeting, with the first one being on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, USA last year.