German Ambassador visits Caraga

The Caraga Conference for Peace and Development (CCPD) and the NEDA Regional Office-XIII took the lead in coordinating the 2-day visit of the German Ambassador H.E. Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch in Caraga Region last April 2-3, 2009.

During the visit, His Excellency Weber-Lortsch distributed relief assistance at a handover ceremony on April 2 in the Municipal Hall of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte. The Federal Government of Germany through the Ambassador extended a grant of PhP 1,312,200 (about EUR 22,121) to the project “Emergency Relief Operation in Caraga” spearheaded by the CCPD. The German government assistance will be distributed in the form of humanitarian assistance packets to about 1,200 families affected the worst by the natural disaster that struck Mindanao, particularly the Caraga Region on January 10 to 18 this year which left families with damaged houses, lost properties and livelihoods.

The packets contain food as well as non-food items including medicine. The grant will also cover administrative costs including transportation to the devastated remote areas where services and assistance are difficult to avail particularly Esperanza, San Luis and La Paz in Agusan del Sur; Jabonga and Tubay in Agusan del Norte; Soccoro Island, Mainit and Placer in Surigao del Norte; San Miguel and Carrascal in Surigao del Sur.

Upon his arrival, the Ambassador was welcomed by Butuan City Vice-Mayor Dino Claudio M. Sanchez, Bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, Father Lito Clase, NEDA Regional Director Carmencita S. Cochingco, Major General Ricardo David and Police Chief Supt. Jaime Milla. The Ambassador with the party proceeded to the Bishop’s Home to confer with the CCPD stakeholders and local leaders. He then proceeded to Jabonga for the Hand-over Ceremony and Relief Distribution which were participated in by Agusan del Norte Governor Erlpe John M. Amante and Jabonga Mayor Glicerio M.Monton, Jr. A press conference with the Ambassador was also conducted at Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort, Butuan City upon their arrival from Jabonga.

Congressman Jose ‘Joboy’ Aquino II of the 1 District of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City hosted a dinner for the Ambassador with the officials of Butuan City.

On Friday, April 3, the Ambassador proceeded to Patin-ay, Agusan del Sur to meet with Governor Ma. Valentina G. Plaza and other LGU officials. Agusan del Sur is also covered by the German Government Assistance.

Since the start of RP’s bilateral cooperation with Germany in 1961, the German government has extended a total bilateral assistance of more than EUR 571 million in financial cooperation and EUR 272 million in technical cooperation for a broad spectrum of programs and projects. On March 9, 2009, it committed an overall amount of seven million Euros to technical cooperation projects in the Caraga Region; this amount will be complemented by additional funds for financial cooperation projects.

The GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), under commission from the German Federal Government, has been working with the government and selected communities in the Philippines since 1971, sharing the best in German technology and her wealth of experience in international cooperation. Together with other implementing agencies from Germany, GTZ will carry out future cooperation projects of German ODA in the Caraga region. (NEDA-13)

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