The APTERR Secretariat, led by Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, met with the National Food Authority (NFA) of the Philippines, led by Administrator Dr. Larry R. Lacson, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan led by Grain Quality Assurance Office Director of Grain Trade and Operation Division Mr. Kenji Okuhira, to discuss on the extension of Tier 1 between the Philippines and Japan on 30 July 2024 at the NFA office in Quezon City, the Philippines.
As the Modification to the Memorandum of Cooperation for the Release and Uitlisation of Earmarked Stocks under the Tier 1 Programme of ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve will soon expire in coming October 2024, the Philippines and Japan have agreed to extend the Tier 1 programme for another three-year term (2024-2027). Consequently, this meeting focused primarily issues related to the extension, including the workplan and timeframe, to ensure the signing would be done before the current term ends.
The NFA representatives who attended the meeting included Acting Division Manager Ms. Rosalyn Comia, Executive Assistant Atty. Maria Lucila Margarita P. Mangrobang as well as other NFA officials while the MAFF representatives consisted of Deputy Director Mr. Toshiki Tojo, and Section Chief Ms. Natsumi Momozawa of Grain Trade and Operation, and First Secretary Mr. Hidenori Akasaka of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines. The representatives from the APTERR Secretariat including Japanese Expert Mr. Akinori Ando, Head of Implementation Ms. Jansinee Kankaew, Senior Financial Officer Ms. Suthathip and Secretary to the Japanese Expert Ms. Sita Kumpol were also present in this significant meeting.
The Tier 1 between the Philippines and Japan, first signed in 2018, marked the first Tier 1 programme since APTERR became a permanent regional mechanism. The APTERR Secretariat has been actively promoting the Tier 1 to the member countries to ensure food security by diversifying supply sources, thereby enhancing resilience to unforeseen future situations.
