Special Advisor to Prime Minister Mori Masafumi pays courtesy call on Marcos
ON November 3, Dr. Mori Masafumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Manila where the Japan–Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation was held.
At the outset, Special Advisor Mori expressed his sympathies in the wake of the damages caused by Typhoon Paeng, and stated that Japan was ready to provide the maximum possible assistance to the Philippines. Special Advisor Mori also expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for his presence at the ceremony regarding the Metro Manila Subway earlier in the day. In response, President Marcos reiterated his appreciation for Japan’s cooperation thus far, including the project of for subway development, and expressed his high expectations for the future strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
The two sides exchanged views on the future modalities of bilateral economic cooperation. Special Advisor Mori conveyed Japan’s intention not only to continue the “Fast & Sure” implementation of assistance, but also to render dynamic support for the Philippines’ endeavour to become an upper middle income country as well as the “Build, Better, More” programme with ODA and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
In addition, Special Advisor Mori strongly condemned North Korea’s recent provocations including a launch of a possible ICBM, and the two sides reaffirmed that the two countries would continue to work closely together.
Against that backdrop, the two sides shared the view to further closely coordinate including through the Japan–Philippines High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation.
