On 22 March 2023, General Manager of the APTERR Secretariat Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn together with Japanese Expert Mr. Toshiki Tojo and the APTERR staff went inspection of 320 MT of rice contributed by Japan through the prepositioned stockpiled rice system under Tier 3 programme at the National Food Authority (NFA)-ACA warehouse in Valenzuela City, the Philippines.
The team received a warm welcome from Special Assistance to the NFA Administrator Mr. Roger V. Navarro, Assistance Administrator for Finance and Administrator Mr. Gerry J. Ambrosio, Acting Assistant Administrator for Operations Engr. John Robert R. Hermano, NFA-NCR Regional Manager Mrs. Maria Lewina A. Tolention. as well as NFA officers. Meanwhile, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Mr. Jumpei Tachikawa was also present in this event.
(from left-right) Mr. Jonathan D. Yazon, Acting Department Manager of NFA-OCD,
Mr. Jumpei Tachikawa, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines,
Mr. Gerry J. Ambrosio, Assistance Administrator for Finance and Administrator,
Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakerson, GM of the APTERR Secretariat,
Mrs. Maria Lewina A. Tolention, NFA-NCR Regional Manager,
Ms. Nattavadee Sraprathum, Technical Staff for FEMI of the APTERR Secretariat,
Ms. Jansinee Kankaew, Head of Implementation of the APTERR Secretariat,
Mr. Roger V. Navarro, Special Assistance to the NFA Administrator,
Mr. Toshiki Tojo, Japanese Expert of the APTERR Secretariat,
and Engr. John Robert R. Hermano, Acting Assistant Administrator for Operations.
The APTERR team with the NFA officials at the NFA-)-ACA warehouse in Valenzuela City, the Philippines.
The team thoroughly found that Japan’s 320-MT rice was a good quality in well-packed bags. Since the arrival of rice in late February 2023, the NFA quality assurance officers have regularly monitored and checked the rice quality and condition to ensure the safety of rice for people’s consumption in time of release.
The rice will be kept in the warehouse to prepare for providing a timely rice assistance to people during disastrous incidents. This year’s rice assistance, specially, includes 20 MT of Japan’s new initiative ‘School Distribution Programme (SDP)’ to safeguard food security for school students as the targeted beneficiaries in promoting UN Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger.
With further development from the existing Tier 3 prepositioned programme, the SDP aims to store the rice only for six months, shorter from regular 12-month prepositioning period, in response to emergency. If no disastrous calamity occurs during the said period, the rice will be released for poverty alleviation of school students. The Philippines, known as one of world’s most disaster risk country, is the first APTERR member country implementing this programme.
