Japan remains the Philippines’ largest source of official development assistance (ODA), with its financing accounting for $13.81 billion or 35.26 percent of the country’s total ODA portfolio as of June 2026.

The figure was highlighted by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) as it recognized outgoing Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo at a farewell reception on 25 August.

DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the Philippines-Japan partnership has expanded beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure to cover peace and development in Mindanao, human resource development, climate action, health, digital connectivity, and maritime safety and security.

Broader range of Philippine priorities

Japan’s development financing has supported a broader range of Philippine priorities as the two countries pursue sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

During Endo’s tenure, DEPDev said cooperation between Manila and Tokyo deepened in both scale and scope, with projects aimed at strengthening infrastructure, institutions and community resilience.

In his farewell remarks, Endo credited DEPDev’s leadership and technical teams for helping turn bilateral cooperation into concrete development outcomes and expressed confidence in the department’s continued efforts toward a more inclusive and resilient economy.

Translate bilateral agreements to tangible benefits

DEPDev Undersecretary Joseph Capuno also stressed the need to translate bilateral agreements into tangible benefits for Filipinos as development priorities evolve.