The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) hosted a signing ceremony on 15 January 2025 to launch a new project aimed at rehabilitating, empowering, and reintegrating juveniles, including Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) and Children at Risk (CAR).

The project, implemented under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Grassroots Technical Cooperation Project, is part of the Japanese government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). The initiative brings together the Japanese and Philippine governments, with the DSWD, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), and ACTION, an organization led by founder and president Mr. YOKOTA Hajime, contributing their expertise in the field.

Ms. AokI Fumiko, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, and JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema attended the event. 

“This Technical Cooperation for Grassroot Project of ours aims to support children, especially CICL or CAR, with the concept of ‘No-One-Left-Behind’ or inclusive society. Life’s circumstances may lead children’s paths astray, but, in such cases, it should be our shared responsibility to support their rehabilitation, empowerment, and reintegration to the society,” Mr. Sakamoto said.

The project aims to train social workers in local government units within the target regions, equipping them to manage juvenile delinquency cases and create their own Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Programs.