On Tuesday, Ambassador Endo Kazuya and Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro signed the exchange of notes for the Build Universal Health Care Program (Emergency Support), with a loan limit of approximately 30 billion yen.

This program will provide financial support to the Philippines to improve and formulate policies related to achieving universal health care and to mitigate the impact on the health sector caused by the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

It aims to improve equitable access to high-quality health services and strengthen the supply chain for medical supplies, thereby contributing to economic stability and the promotion of social development.

With 1,630 Japanese companies operating in the Philippines, efforts to improve the country’s healthcare environment and stabilize its economy and public finances through this initiative are expected to improve the lives of the Filipino people.

It will also contribute to bolstering the country’s social and economic activities, and help lay the groundwork for the expansion and operations of Japanese companies in the country.

The interest rate is 2.5 percent per annum, with 15-year repayment, including a five-year grace period. Japan Information and Culture Center