Newsletter No. 317
News-Analysis
June 28, 2006

 

JAPANESE AID FOR SCHOOLS IN MINDANAO

In Newsletter No. 279 David Adam Stott (Shingetsu Member no. 17) offered us an overview of Tokyo’s new peace-building efforts in the southern Philippines. A revised version of that essay has since appeared at Asia Times Online.

Now, Mr. Stott has forwarded additional information about Japan’s aid for schools in Mindanao.

According to this information, the Japanese embassy in Manila announced this past week that the Japanese government would donate US$38,851 toward the construction of schoolrooms in Surigao and Polomolok (Mindanao). These schools currently educate more than 3,000 students.

Another aid package of US$36,546 was also announced; this time to create a Pamulaan Education Center for Indigenous People in Davao City. Specifically, the aid will be given to assist the Badjao people. A report carried by the Khaleej Times notes, “The Badjaos, known as a sea-based people, live primarily on fishing and practices a communal way of life. They are the poorest among indigenous groups and discriminated against by the rest of the population.”

They are generally considered to be Sunni Muslims as well.

Although these aid packages are small, they do underline the fact that Tokyo is starting to get involved in peacemaking in the southern Philippines.