The Japanese government has extended a ¥858-million (approximately P326 million) grant to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to enhance birth registration services for unregistered children and families.
In a statement, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines said the assistance will focus on displaced Sama Bajau communities and former combatants who often face difficulties accessing civil registration services.
The grant was formally turned over during a ceremony attended by Japanese Minister for Economic Affairs Yokota Naobumi, along with local government officials and representatives from the Department of Justice and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among others.
“Japan remains committed to ensuring that no one, especially children, is left behind on the path toward peace and development in the Bangsamoro region. Birth registration is a vital first step,” Yokota said.
The project, which will be implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is expected to directly benefit around 130,000 unregistered individuals. According to the embassy, an estimated 800,000 more people may benefit indirectly over the next decade.
As part of the initiative, Japan also handed over seven mobile birth registration caravan vehicles and advocacy kits to youth advocates in Lanao del Sur on December 5, 2025. These are intended to bring registration services closer to vulnerable and conflict-affected communities.
The Japanese government said the advocacy kits are expected to help accelerate and expand information campaigns on the importance of birth registration throughout the province.
Japan has likewise committed to continued support for digital birth registration initiatives in BARMM and Sulu, aiming to improve access in remote and underserved areas.
Earlier this year, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya attended similar handover ceremonies in Davao City and Bangsamoro, where computer servers, vehicles, and advocacy materials were provided to streamline birth registration services. Endo said the initiative promotes “human security that embraces the region’s diversity.”
UNHCR Philippines Head Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo emphasized the importance of the project, noting that it helps ensure “no one is left without a nationality and without a legal identity.”
