Senate commends Japanese Envoy

The Senate today adopted a resolution commending outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Haneda Koji for his remarkable work as envoy of Japan to the Philippines that strengthened the bilateral relations and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri introduced Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 568 which was adopted by the chamber during the hybrid plenary session Tuesday, November 17, 2020 with all senators made as co-author.

Zubiri said that prior to his posting as Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines in September 17, 2020, Haneda held various significant posts such as the Representative of the government of Japan for Free Trade and Economic Partnership Agreements Negotiations in 2016, Ambassador for International Economic Affairs in 2015, Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2012, Director-General at the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters Cabinet Office in 2010, Ambassador in charge of the United Nations Affairs at the Foreign Policy Bureau in 2019 and Minister at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York, USA in 2001.

Zubiri added that since Haneda presented his credentials to President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2017, the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have signed over 650 billion yen's worth of loans under fifteen agreements.

Haneda's term as Japanese envoy, the Senator said, also saw the country enter into several loan and grant agreements with the government for the administration's Build, Build, Build Program.

Zubiri added that it was during the term of Haneda that the Japanese government provided assistance to the country's maritime security capacity building, through the turnover of patrol vessels, high-speed boats, and naval aircraft, to aid in the conduct and delivery of immediate rescue operations and to improve maritime security in Philippine waters.

The senator noted that he became close to the Japanese envoy because of the latter's support for the Bangsamoro Organic Law and for his being an active partner of the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

It was under Haneda's watch, Zubiri added, that the Japanese government extended significant assistance to Mindanao, allocating substantial amount for peace, normalization and socio economic development in the region, making Japan among the first to respond to the call for assistance in rehabilitating Marawi City.

"As His Excellency Haneda Koji's duty in the Philippines draws to an end, we would like to commend him for being instrumental in further strengthening the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Japan," Zubiri said.