On Sept. 27, the signing ceremony of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) among JICA, KOICA, and USAID to Advance Primary Health Care towards Universal Health Care (UHC)in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines, was held in Metro Manila.
Ambassador Endo Kazuya witnessed the signing together with US Ambassador Marykay Loss Carlson, Embassy of Korea in the Philippines Minister Sang Seung-Man, and KOICA vice president Kim Dong Ho. Also in attendance were Department of Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa and BARMM Minister of Health Dr. Kadil M. Sinolingding Jr.
The MOC was signed by JICA Philippines Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema, KOICA Philippines country director Kim Eunsub, and USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn.
Ambassador Endo, in his Keynote speech, highlighted the importance of the collaboration among these three countries to promote a more resilient and efficient regional healthcare system accessible to the community and vulnerable groups within BARMM.
Furthermore, Ambassador Endo mentioned that Japan will focus on strengthening maternal and newborn health services, as well as pursue improved nutrition for the region. These goals are aligned with Japan’s long commitment to human security and peace-making efforts within BARMM and promote Japan’s “Women, Peace and Security” agenda.
