Ambassador Garcia-Albano Promotes Cooperation to Address Climate Change with Ibaraki’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI)
Left Photo (left to right): Dr. Shiho Asano, Dr. Ronald C. Estoque, Dr. Koji Tamai, Dr. Isao Kobayashi, Dr. Toru Asano (front), Dr. Yoshio Tsuboyama, Philippine Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, First Secretary and Consul Mary Joy Ramirez, Ms. Victoria Campos; Right Photo: Photo during the meeting between Philippine Embassy and FFPRI Officials
On 19 July 2023, Philippine Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano exchanged views on cooperation to combat climate change with officials of the Forest and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) of the Forestry Research and Management Organization during her visit to the Institute’s headquarters in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The Ambassador was welcomed by the Director General of FFPRI, Dr. Toru ASANO, with Dr. Yoshio TSUBOYAMA, Vice President of FFPRI, Dr. Isao KOBAYASHI, Director General of Research Planning Department, Dr. Koji TAMAI, Principal Research Director, Dr. Shiho ASANO, Director of the Department of Disaster Prevention, Meteorology and Hydrology, and Dr. Ronald C. ESTOQUE, Senior Researcher of the Climate Change Laboratory.
During the meeting, FFPRI Vice President Dr. Tsuboyama, provided an introduction of FFPRI and discussed the Institute’s efforts towards achieving Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the “sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems”. He noted that the Institute, which has been in existence for over 110 years, has been conducting interdisciplinary research on forests, forestry, the timber industry, and tree breeding.
This was followed by a brief presentation by Dr. Ronald C. Estoque, a Filipino scientist, on two of FFPRI’s research activities on “Global Forest Trend and the La Mesa Watershed.” Dr. Shiho Asano also discussed the “Role of Forests in Reducing Slope Disasters Caused by Heavy Rainfall.”
In her message, the Ambassador encouraged more collaborative activities, such as exchanges of experts, between Philippine institutions and the FFPRI. She noted that the Philippines and Japan stand to benefit significantly in cooperative activities aimed at addressing the impact of climate change given the two countries’ geographic positions and vulnerability to extreme climate events.
