Japan ODA 60th Anniversary

JICA: 60 years of assistance beyond borders

Claire Banganan, Rizal National School of Arts and Trade

Throughout the years, the Philippines has gone through a lot of challenges, may it be natural disasters that devastated different parts of the country or crises in different aspects. Our country has surpassed all of these and will continue to rise again no matter what. This alone is considered a commendable achievement and honor for us, Filipinos, but the credit is not ours alone. We made it because we have friends who are more than willing to offer assistance in times of need. We made it because we are not on our own. We made it because we have you...

For over a quarter of a century, JICA has been our active partner in the pursuit of sustainable development in our country. In fact, the Philippines is one of the largest recipients of the technical cooperation provided by the Government of Japan through JICA.

Japan International Cooperation Agency or commonly known by the acronym JICA, is an independent organization that helps to develop and provide cooperation in economic growth, poverty reduction, disaster mitigation, other development issues such as health and governance, and in promoting peace and development in conflict-affected Mindanao. With these focus points, JICA aims to promote inclusive and dynamic development to secure a better future for Filipinos.

Statistics shows that the Philippines posted a 6.6% economic growth in 2012 and in 2013, gained investment-grade ratings from two credit rating agencies. Amidst the economic growth, however, many problems remain. Unemployment rate stands at 7.1% and the 27.9% poverty incidence remained practically the same between 2006 and 2012. Fortunately, JICA remains to be of great assistance.

In our place, one of the evident concerns in education is the lack of classrooms for most schools. As an answered prayer, JICA's helping hands have already reached our community. Here in our town, JICA has already contributed a big help in our education. For how many years now, we have been enjoying the comfort of a four-classroom building with well-built comfort rooms. The said rooms accommodate all the cream sections in our school from grade 7 to grade 10 with more or less 140 students. Another cream-colored building with a different structure and is separated from the other classrooms is located at a nearby elementary school. This is occupied and used by the Grade 5 pupils. The last one is located at our town's elementary central school.

These projects are not just mere buildings. These are materialized help for our community. They give us, students, comfort in our study during the day. It also allows us to think more clearly and concentrate on what we are doing owing to the fact that we are under a secured school building. With enough space, we can become more aggressive, competitive and active in the activities inside the classroom and as such, we can have all the fun time with our friends and classmates as well as with our teachers as we learn and explore more.

Yes, we have received help and we are very much grateful for it. However, a great challenge and responsibility comes with this gratitude-- that is to maximize the years that these buildings are used to aid education and that its benefits will not end with us nor with the next batch but will extend with more and more batches to come.

As a young citizen and student of our school, I know that I should take part in this great challenge. In order to maintain the JICA's projects, proper discipline is one of the topmost requirements. I have to model taking responsibility of our JICA-given classroom in the best way I can. I have to become a steward of our classrooms by stopping vandalism and promoting cleanliness and orderliness in order to prolong the life of the building.

JICA is a really good organization that epitomizes a Good Samaritan. Without JICA, we, Filipinos, most possibly still have a very poor economic growth. Working together with them is such a great advantage. We really thank them for establishing this kind of organization. For the time being, we are in need their help and we pray that the time will come that all their contributions to us will be paid back. For the meantime, we should maintain JICA's projects as strong as they are today for the other generations to use and benefit from it. We owe it to the kind-hearted JICA family to keep their legacy in the best way we could.

As a footnote, being a beneficiary of JICA projects in our place, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to JICA. May JICA thrive more in abundance as much as you give for more years to come. May your blessings be a hundred fold back for your 60 years and counting assistance that have gone beyond race, cultures and any borders. Long live Japan-Philippines friendship! Viva, JICA!