The Undergraduate students from Musashi University, listen to ARISP III Consultant Mr. Yojiro Sekiguchi at the foot of the Barangay Cataning Rural Water Supply Subproject (photo inset), as he explains the profile of the water system, including details on the operation and maintenance of the system. Also in the picture are ARISP Project Manager Ma. Celerina G. Afable and ARISP Provincial PMO-Bataan members. Not shown in the picture are Musashi University Professor Ken Togo and Consultant Team Leader Mr. Yukihiro Kawahara (September 2, 2009).

A study mission composed of five undergraduate students and a professor from the Musashi University in Japan recently visited the country to gather information on how Japanese Official Development Assistance, in general, and Japanese loan assistance, in particular, contribute to and benefit the Philippines’ rural areas.

The Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project II (ARISP II), a loan assistance project funded under the 23rd Yen Loan Package (YLP) of the GOJ through the then Japan Bank for International Cooperation, was selected as one of the subject ODA projects for the visit. The basis of the selection was an earlier citation of the Project as a showcase of Japanese ODA Loan Projects. This was documented in JICA’s World, the publication of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the implementing agency of Japanese ODA.

ARISP II provided basic infrastructure and assistance in strengthening of farmers’ organizations, with the goal of improving productivity, income and the over-all quality of life of agrarian reform beneficiaries in 150 ARCs in 55 provinces and 14 regions nationwide. The Project was implemented for seven (7) years and was completed in 2007. The total project cost is P6.74 Billion, of which 84% was financed under the said YLP.

The study team visited on September 2, 2009 the BSTC-Balanga ARC located in Balanga City, Bataan, Region III, a beneficiary of a package of development assistance under the Project. The ARC covers three barangays, and has received development projects such as irrigation development, farm-to-market road and potable water supply. Moreover, cooperative development support was extended to the area with the Greater Bani Multi-Purpose Cooperative as the subject-organization. Specifically, services provided under this component includes credit assistance, emergency loan and rentals of facilities for threshing and drying.

Part of the itinerary of the study mission included the inspection of the ARC subprojects, namely, the Cataning Rural Water Supply, Hacienda Lourdes Farm-to-Market Road and the Kapitan Tomas Communal Irrigation System. Likewise interviews were conducted with project stakeholders and the cooperative key officers.

The study mission was accompanied in their visit by Project Manager Ma. Celerina G. Afable, Assistant PM Henry M. Zapata, ARISP II Team Leader Irma C. Canlas and Mr. Yukihiro Kawahara and Mr. Yojiro Sekiguchi, Team Leader and Operations Management Expert of Nippon Koei, the ARISP II Project Consultants. The group also met with ARISP III Regional PM, ARISP III Provincial PMO and LGU officials.

The findings of the study mission will be presented at a workshop to be held at said University at a later date.