PHL, Japanese officials to meet in Japan to discuss infra program

Philippine and Japanese officials are scheduled to meet in Cebu on Monday to discuss the progress of the government's Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

In an emailed statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the Philippines-Japan High-Level Committee on Infrastructure and Economic Cooperation will be held in Mactan, Cebu on Monday, the fourth such dialogue since Tokyo last year.

The Philippine delegation will be led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III while the Japanese delegation will be led by Dr. Hiroto Izumi, the Special Adviser to Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"After the meeting, officials from the two sides are expected to sign the record of discussions and other documents related to the commitment on infrastructure cooperation between the Philippines and Japan," the DOF said.

Dominguez earlier, on behalf of the Philippine government, signed a 15.93-billion yen loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a flood control project in Cavite.

Other projects to be funded from Japan are the $89-million loan for the Arterial Road Bypass Project (Phase III), and the $22.2-million grant for the Non-Project Grant Aid for the Economic and Social Development Program. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News