The Japanese government, through its embassy in Manila, is donating two units of rescue boats to the province of Ilocos Norte.
The rescue boats worth PHP3.5 million are expected to improve calamity-response initiatives in the province, according to Marcell Tabije, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), in an interview on Wednesday.
To facilitate the processing of the donation, a grant contract was signed on Feb. 25, 2025 between Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya.
In an interview on Tuesday, Endo said the grant of USD60,711 (equivalent to around PHP3.5 million) under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects is meant to ensure the safety of local communities in times of crisis.
Ilocos Norte, located in Northern Luzon, is frequently visited by tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) especially during the wet season.
On the average, about three cyclones each occurred in the province in the months of July and August, and one each in the months of June, September, and October, according to data from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
A rescue boat is one of the most needed assets for search and rescue, as well as relief operations in flood-prone and hard-to-reach areas.