Duterte confers Sikatuna award on Japanese envoy

President Duterte conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu on Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa for his three-year service.

Kazuhide paid a farewell call on the President as he concluded his three-year stint as Japan’s top diplomat in the country Tuesday. He was appointed Ambassador to the Philippines in August 2014.

Duterte expressed his gratitude to the outgoing ambassador for his service and vowed to continue cooperating with Japan in various areas, particularly in regional security.

Duterte said that he expected the Japanese government to appoint a new ambassador as competent as the outgoing envoy.

The Order of Sikatuna is an order of diplomatic merit conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the country. It is one of the senior honors of the country.

The Order is awarded to diplomats, officials, and nationals of foreign states who have rendered service in fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines; or upon personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), both in the home office and in the foreign service.

Duterte also recognized Japan’s assistance to the country, especially through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

JICA is an agency which contributes to the promotion of international cooperation as well as sound development of Japanese and global economy by supporting the socio-economic development, recovery or economic stability of developing regions.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that JICA is working with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to update a “transport infrastructure roadmap” by next month.

“We thank the Japanese government and organizers for their consideration, and both sides mutually agreed that a visit to Japan could be rescheduled in the future,” Abella had said.

“The Philippines highly values its close friendship and deep bilateral relations with Japan. President Duterte hopes to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of whom he has fond admiration and respect especially when the Japanese leader visited him in his hometown in Davao,” he added.