January 12, 2018 Results of the Visit of Seiko Noda, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, to the Philippines

Seiko Noda, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, visited the Philippines from January 9 through 11, 2018.
In this visit, Minister Noda had a courtesy call on H.E. President Rodrigo Duterte and confirmed the cooperation between both countries by proposing Japan-Philippines ICT Comprehensive Cooperation Package to offer further support for the development of ICT infrastructure in the Philippines. Furthermore, she emphasized Japan’s past contribution and further cooperation at a ceremony hosted by the People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTV) for the switch-on of digital terrestrial broadcasting.
In addition, she had bilateral meetings with Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, OIC-Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba of the National Telecommunications Commission separately, and agreed to further strengthen the cooperation between the both countries in the future.

1. Courtesy call on President Duterte

Minister Noda had a courtesy call on H.E. President Duterte at Malacañang Palace. During the courtesy call, she made a commitment to contribute to solving the socio-economic problems and economic growth of the Philippines, thus facilitating the overseas deployment of Japanese enterprises by proposing Japan-Philippines ICT Comprehensive Cooperation Package to offer further support for the development of ICT infrastructure for broadband networks and digital terrestrial broadcasting as the foundation of ICT utilization for disaster management, transportation, and cybersecurity etc.
With the proposal of the package, they agreed to steadily implement the cooperation between both countries in The National Broadband Plan and digital TV migration as specified in the Japan-Philippines Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation for the Next Five Years, which was agreed on by the two leaders in October 2017.

2. Attendance at PTV’s Ceremony for the Switch-on of Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting

Full digital terrestrial broadcasting has started in Metro Manila and surrounding areas in January 2018 by a digital transmitter that a Japanese company delivered. Minister Noda and Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines Koji Haneda, as well as other stakeholders from Japan, attended the ceremony for the switch-on of the digital terrestrial broadcasting along with Secretary Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, and OIC-Secretary Rio Jr. of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as General Manager Dino Apolonio of PTV’s Network, and other stakeholders from the Philippines.
At the ceremony, Minister Noda emphasized Japan’s past contribution to the switch-on of digital terrestrial broadcasting and further cooperation with the Philippines.

3. Bilateral meetings with Philippine Government Officials

Minister Noda had bilateral meetings with Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, OIC-Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba of the National Telecommunications Commission separately, and agreed to further strengthen the cooperation between both countries in the future. Furthermore, they agreed to cooperate widely on the utilization of ICT for disaster management and cybersecurity as well as the development of ICT infrastructure.

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