Japan gives critical aid to BARMM for 2025 polls – Marcos

FILE PHOTO: With a colorful fluvial parade winding through the Rio Grande de Maguindanao, the Bangsamoro government reenacts on December 19, 2022, the arrival of Arab missionary Shariff Kabunsuan to spread Islam in mainland Mindanao 500 years ago, kicking off a weeklong celebration in the southern autonomous region.On Friday, March 1, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Japan has given critical aid to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in time for its parliamentary elections in 2025. Photo courtesy of the BARMM Information Office

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said Japan has given significant aid to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in time for its upcoming elections.

Speaking at the farewell call of outgoing Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Marcos said the relationship between the two countries has been elevated.

“It used to be just economic and trade, but in terms of security and defense, also that, and I’m glad that you mentioned the assistance that the Japanese, that Japan, rather, has given to the BARMM. It’s very – it is been very critical because as the elections come, it will be the first parliamentary election,” Marcos told Koshikawa.

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The BARMM is in the last stage of autonomy, with its parliamentary elections happening in 2025.

Marcos also said that Japan has helped the Philippines in terms of security.

“On the security side, there has much also, there has – much has been achieved. We are now talking about the, between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, and I think that’s proceeding very well,” he noted.

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In turn, Koshikawa gave assurance that BARMM has Japan’s support for a peaceful election.

“Japan …will continue to support Mindanao peace process in particular in the election scheduled next year. In this context, I think, the Japanese government is ready to consider the assistance necessary for the implementation of the election laws,” he said.