Press Release

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced this week the opening of study opportunities for young Filipino professionals interested in disaster risk reduction (DRR) under its Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) Young Leaders.

The KCCP is part of JICA's development cooperation with partner countries like the Philippines in support of human resources development, while also sharing Japan's technology and experiences.

The course Regional Revitalization in Disaster Prone Area is open to Filipinos working in government, non-profit groups, and development organizations.

"JICA believes that giving Filipinos opportunities to study and learn from Japan's experiences and know-how will contribute to Philippine human resources development and sustainable economic future," said JICA Philippines Chief Representative Yoshio Wada. "Our cooperation with the Philippines respects ownership of our partner countries' future as well as collaboration so we can learn from one another and develop together."

Aside from human lives, economic costs of disasters in the Philippines from 2005-2014 amounted to an average $1.6billion every year, data from a study of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) showed. The JICA trainings on DRR hopefully can help reduce the vulnerability of the country through sharing of Japan's best practices and education.

The course, that will be held on 16-30 October 2019, includes training on Japan's reconstruction experiences from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku Region in 2011, as well as Japan's history on disaster preparedness and education and regional development.

Trainees will also visit Japanese universities, attend lectures on disaster waste management, and tourism promotion and agriculture development in disaster-prone areas.

The deadline for application to said KCCP course is on August 2, 2019. Details of the program may be viewed in this link:

• https://www.jica.go.jp/philippine/english/activities/activity02_03_02.html

JICA has been supporting the Philippines' human resource development by sending more than 41,000 Filipino professionals for training in Japan since the 1960s.