Currently, there are 7 training centers in the Philippines (out of these, 5 have been transferred to the OISCA Technical Trainees Alumni Association which is a local organization). Reforestation projects have been carried out in three mountainous areas and mangrove tree planting projects have been implemented in three areas. Also, Children’s Forest Program (CFP) has been conducted all over the country with 1,141 schools participating. Specifically, 1,376 Filipinos have undergone training in Japan so far and after returning home, have been active in various places.  On the other hand concerning environmental conservation, reforestation in mountains has been carried covering about 600 hectares in Nueva Viscaya, about 1,000 hectares in Iloilo and other areas, and mangrove planting conducted a cumulative total area of 520 hectares in the southern part of Luzon Island.

In the Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, the environment surrounding the country is expected to become more severe due to the enormous typhoons caused by climate change. Under such circumstances, the idea of utilizing the power of nature to carry out disaster prevention and mitigation of such natural disasters (ECO-DRR: Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction) is drawing attention. Based on this idea, we will continue to carry out tree planting in the mountains of various parts of the Philippines, mangrove tree planting, Children’s Forest Program, as well as fostering the sericulture industry, which is also a sustainable industry that makes use of the power of nature.

Meanwhile, we will continue to put even more effort into the exchange of industrial human resources, such as training technical intern trainees and inviting them to Japan as reciprocal international cooperation.