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Duterte thanks Japan for 'giving flesh' to ¥1-T pledge
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday expressed his gratitude to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for defining Tokyo’s ¥1-trillion pledge for Manila.
“I am pleased with Japan’s reiteration that it is fully committed to – as he described it – ‘give flesh’ to the 1 trillion yen or close to nine billion dollars pledge [of] assistance to the Philippines,” he said during their joint statement at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.
Duterte said that the pledge would cover infrastructure projects and the rehabilitation of Marawi City, among others.
“There will be some of the most ambitious and groundbreaking projects, including the Metro Manila Subway project, and major developments in the regions and provinces,” he said.
“Apart from its involvement in the peace process, Japan is already on the ground as we proceed with reconstructing Marawi and rebuilding the lives of those affected,” he added.
Japanese Foreign Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura in January told reporters in Malacañang that Abe stressed that the pledge was "not just a one-way inflow of investments of money from Japan." The Philippines should maintain a business-friendly environment, he said.
This official visit is Duterte's second trip to Japan. He was supposed to visit in June, but the pro-ISIS Maute group's attack on Marawi City prevented him from pushing through with the trip.
"It is, therefore, fitting and proper, that after the liberation of Marawi City from the grip of Maute terrorists, my first Official Visit overseas takes place in Japan --- a true friend who has stood squarely behind the Philippines in my country’s onward advance [to] greater peace, progress and prosperity," he said.
"I dare say that, considering what we have accomplished and achieved, the Philippines and Japan are building a golden age [for] our strategic partnership," Duterte added. —JST, GMA News
