Japan Philippines NGO Symposium
With the objective of sharing information and establishing closer alliances between Japanese and Philippine NGOs and other sectors, the Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium was held 3 times as of the end of the fiscal year 2010 (2006:Manila, 2008:Tokyo, 2010:Davao). In each symposium, the representatives of Japan and Philippine NGOs, government and financial groups, university faculty and students were able to participate and deepen their understanding about each other’s activities and develop unity towards achieving mutual goals. As a result, it established new partnerships and widened the circle of cooperation. (Note: The MOFA was then in process of developing a Country Assistance Program Policy)
Overview and Achievements of the Past Symposiums:
The 1st Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium, November 24-26, 2006 (Manila, Philippines)
The 2nd Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium, July 17-19, 2008 (Tokyo, Japan)
The 3rd Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium, August 25-27 (Davao, Philippines)
“Japan Philippines NGO Partnership Fund” Concept
The Japan Philippines NGO Partnership Fund was a fund that NGOs from Japan and the Philippines would work on together and contribute to the fund through fund-raising activities and solicitations from donors coming from either the government or private business, based on the declarations or action plans adopted at the past Japan-Philippine NGO Symposiums. The funds intended to be utilized to subsidize or support the efforts of Japanese and Philippine NGOs like poverty alleviation programs in the Philippines, human resource development projects and different kinds of exchange programs between the two countries and other concerns.
“Thematic Groups”
JPN members and PJP members collaborated to analyze the development challenges of the Philippines. They held learning sessions and developed coordinated projects based on the expertise of each organization, such as “Children’s Education”, “Children’s Health (Maternal and Child Health)”, “Organic Farming and Rural Development”, “Supporting Flipinos in Japan”, “Peace Building”, “Disaster Management” and “Indigenous People”.
Current Situation Survey and other Research Study on Japan-Philippine NGOs
JPN collected important information for the collaboration of Japan and the Philippines, such as areas of assistance and overview of activities, and issue reports such as the following: “Directory of Japanese NGOs involved in the Philippines”, “Overview of the Activities of Japanese NGOs involved in the Philippines” (2008). These reports were translated into English, and were also utilized among NGOs in the Philippines.
Also, with the sponsorship of ACC21, the Philippines-Japan NGO Partnership (PJP) on the Philippine side analyzed the past Country Assistance Program for the Philippines by the Japanese government, and developed a *research report on the proposal for a new fund assistance system. This became the basis of the current Japan-Philippines NGO Partnership Fund Concept.
＊”Philippine and Japanese NGOs’ Contribution to Poverty Alleviation and Funding Support Mechanisms for Partnerships – A Research Report -”
Follow up on the “Country Assistance Program for the Philippines” by the Japanese
Government
In the Country Assistance Program for the Philippines that started in 2008 (5-year plan), it specified the necessity of cooperation among NGOs of Japan and the Philippines. JPN coordinated with PJP to work on the government and, also, to realize the Country Assistance Program for the Philippines with the conviction that the ODA (Official Development Assistance) of Japan towards the Philippines be utilized more by NGOs and that the needs addressed would reflect the situation on the ground.(Note: The Country Assistance Program for the Philippines under preparation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with other Country Assistance Programs for developing countries, was canceled due to the worsening financial situation of the government.)
Others
JPN participated in various events with the objective of having more people know about the collaborative work between Japan and the Philippines, and also, to earn more supporters in both societies. (Activities include: participating in the “NGO Fair”, introducing activities and selling of goods made by Philippine people )
JPN Publications
JPN and PJP collaborated to publish reports on research studies about Japan-Philippines NGOs, their activities, a survey on the current situation and Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) for the Philippines.
List of Publications
-The 1st Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium “Empowering the Poor for Poverty Alleviation towards 2015: Partnership Building between Philippine and Japanese NGOs” 2006 (Proceedings of the 1st Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium in 2006) (Japanese/English)
-“Directory of Japanese NGOs Involved in the Philippines”, November, 2007 (Japanese/English)
-“Overview of Activities of Japanese NGOs Involved in the Philippines – A Survey Report – ” April, 2008
(Japanese/English)
-“Philippine and Japanese NGOs’ Contribution to Poverty Alleviation and Funding Support Mechanisms for Partnerships – A Research Report – ” 2008 (Japanese/ English)
-“Research on Possible Partnership Projects for Japan-Philippine NGOs – case studies -” 2008
(Japanese/English)
-The 2nd Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium “Empowering the Poor for Poverty Alleviation toward MDGs: Partnership Building between Japanese and Philippine NGOs” 2009 (Proceedings of the 2nd Japan-Philippines NGO Symposium in 2008) (Japanese/ English)
-“Former Street Children Speak Out: A Call to Japan’s Youth from Local Leaders in the Philippines,” December 2016 (Japanese)