Send-off ceremony held for the 23rd batch of JDS fellows from the Philippines

On 12 August 2025, a ceremony was held at the Ambassador’s Residence to send off the 23rd Batch of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) from the Philippines. 20 JDS Fellows are set to travel to Japan to pursue graduate studies at leading Japanese universities.

The JDS Project in the Philippines was launched in 2002 with funding from the Government of Japan under its Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The program aims to strengthen the skills of young Filipino government officers, contributing to the nation’s socioeconomic growth, and expects them to contribute to expanding and strengthening the foundation of friendly relations between Japan and the Philippines.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador ENDO Kazuya expressed his well-wishes to the JDS Fellows, encouraging them to strive for academic excellence and help drive national development further upon their return to the Philippines.

Distinguished guests included Department of Economy, Planning, and Development  (DEPDev) Undersecretary Joseph J. Capuno, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs Acting Director Venince Allen V. Carillo,  Civil Service Commission (CSC) Director Fernando M. Porio, JICA Philippines Chief Representative BABA Takashi, and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) JDS Project Office in the Philippines Country Officer Mr. ONODA Mikio.

Through their two-year stay in Japan, these outstanding Filipino government officials will gain firsthand experience of Japanese culture, politics, and economic systems. The Embassy of Japan is optimistic that this program will equip them with new knowledge and skills that will enable them to make significant contributions towards strengthening multifaceted relations between Japan and the Philippines.

For more details on the JDS, please visit: https://jds-scholarship.org/

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