Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday said his government will continue supporting the Philippine’s public-private infrastructure developments in line with the Marcos administration’s Build Better More policy in addition to smart agriculture and renewable energy adoption.

In a statement following his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang, Kishida said Japan’s infrastructure support will cover the Dalton Pass and the Manila Metro Subway Project.

The Build Better More program expands the previous administration’s Build Build Build program. The infrastructure program seeks to address the inadequacies of the country’s infrastructure which hinders national development.

“In the area of economy, I mentioned we will continue with the public-private support for infrastructure development such as the Dalton Pass and the Manila Metro (Subway Project) in line with President Marcos’ Build Better More policy,” Kishida said in his statement.

“And also decision was made to provide heavy equipment for disaster management to help peace and economic and social development in the Mindanao region. In addition, we will continue to operate in areas such as smart agriculture, decarbonization and energy transition, and tourism while keeping a close eye on the next month’s ASEAN’s zero emission community (AZEC) Summit.”

For his part, Marcos said the Japanese leader’s visit marks another important milestone in the Philippine-Japan Strategic Partnership, which is a testament to the strong commitment of both countries to further strengthen bilateral relations.

“We must note with appreciation Japan’s commitment to the Philippines, which is manifested by its dynamic support of the Philippines’ efforts to attain Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) status by 2025 in line with our Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028,” Marcos said.

“The Japan-funded Metro Manila Subway Project, and the development of the North-South Commuter Railway and its extension will secure a reliable, safe, and efficient mass transportation system for the entire country.”

Marcos also announced the signing of key agreements that will propel the momentum of the two nations’ bilateral relations in the coming years, built on the Joint Statement issued during his official visit to Japan last February.

Among the agreements signed include those in tourism, mining, defense and security cooperation, as well as Mindanao aid intended to fight climate change and road improvement.

Kishida arrived in Manila for a two-day official visit to the Philippines, one of Japan’s important ally in Asia. Presidential News Desk