THE SIGNING ceremony for the agreement document to launch a new project aimed at the rehabilitation, empowerment, and reintegration of juveniles, including Children In Conflict with the Law (CICL) and Children At Risk (CAR), was held at the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Jan. 15, 2025.
This project is implemented as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Grassroots Technical Cooperation Project as part of the Japanese government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). It is also carried out as a collaboration between the Japanese and the Philippine governments, primarily through the DSWD and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), with ACTION, headed by its founder and president Mr. Yokota Hajime, leveraging its extensive experience in this field.
In attendance were Ms. Aoki Fumiko, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan and JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema. During the signing ceremony, Mr. Sakamoto delivered a speech, stating, “This Technical Cooperation for Grassroot Project of ours aims to support children, especially CICL or CAR, with the concept of ‘No-One-Left-Behind’ or inclusive society. Life’s circumstances may lead children’s paths astray, but, in such cases, it should be our shared responsibility to support their rehabilitation, empowerment, and reintegration to the society.”
This project is expected to enhance the capability of social workers in local government units within the target regions, empowering them to handle juvenile delinquency cases and to develop their own Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Programs.
