PH boosts capacity in green transformation and sustainable mining amid climate crisis

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through its capacity development training or scholarship program, also known as Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP), is sending three new Filipino scholars to Japan to learn about sustainable resource engineering, business administration, and public policy in the context of energy and mining.

By providing this opportunity to Filipino researchers, educators, and government officials, JICA supports the Philippine government’s push for sustainable development through the transition to clean and renewable energy sources, as well as proper mineral resources management, among others. On a larger scale, JICA aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by developing the capability and technical know-how of key actors and decision-makers in organizations addressing social and environmental issues.

Jordan M. Ballaran of the Department of Energy (DOE) and Archibald L. Echano of the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) – the latest to participate in JICA’s KCCP Green Transformation (GX) Human Resources Development for Energy Sector Program – are set to take up Master’s Program of Public Policy at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and Master’s in Business Administration (GX Concentration) at the International University of Japan, respectively. Like the four GX scholars who participated in the long-term KCCP by JICA before them, Ballaran and Echano aim to apply the insights from their research and contribute to the strengthening of the energy sector in the country, especially as the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2023-2050 emphasizes clean energy technology and higher energy efficiency.

“As the energy sector evolves and becomes more complex than before, the DOE needs data-driven analysis and decisions for policy improvement and program implementation. I want to contribute to the Department by advancing the needed skills to fill the gap with what I can learn from this program,” Ballaran said.

Similarly, Echano believes that “data-driven policy changes that support the adoption of appropriate innovations, practices, and methodologies” are needed to enable his organization, TransCo, to more effectively carry out its mandate in support of the government’s campaign for green transformation.

For the mining sector, Aeron Elvin C. Dela Cruz from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) is part of this batch’s scholars. He becomes the fifth Filipino to participate in JICA’s KCCP KIZUNA Program or the Human Resources Development in the Mining Sector, which focuses on sustainable mineral resource management. Dela Cruz will study Sustainable Resource Engineering at Hokkaido University.

He intends to research on how to assess and mitigate groundwater pollution in small-scale mining (SSM), which may eventually lead to a project. “This project will create detailed groundwater quality databases for SSM Operations across the country. By applying the advanced technologies and methods I will learn at the university, I aim to improve groundwater monitoring and management for more sustainable development,” Dela Cruz noted.

While initially focusing on their respective areas, all three scholars are optimistic that, upon program completion, they can transfer their newfound knowledge to colleagues and enable their organizations to implement broader environmental reforms that will benefit Filipino communities.

The three are also excited to become bridges between the two countries through memorable and enjoyable experiences in Japan, including cultural exchange.

To know more about JICA’s trainings and scholarship programs such as the KCCP, you may check this link: https://www.jica.go.jp/Resource/philippine/english/activities/activity_01_05.html