Japan OKs P8-M rice aid to ‘Pablo’ victims

MANILA, Philippines - Japan has approved the delivery of emergency rice assistance worth P8 million ($200,000) for the victims of typhoon “Pablo.”

The Japanese government has approved the project that will be implemented by the ASEAN Plus Three Rice Reserve (APTERR) to assist the typhoon victims, according to the Japanese embassy.

APTERR is a regional cooperation started in 2004 to ensure food security during an emergency caused by temporary and large-scale calamities.

Japan has funded $6.34 million in total since the start of APTERR’s pilot project. Its rice assistance is the first project after the ratification of APTERR agreement in July last year.