On September 19, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda hosted a reception at his residence to celebrate the awarding of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation to the Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni (PHILFEJA), the umbrella organization for Japanese scholarship alumni organizations in the Philippines.

PHILFEJA President Atty. Powell Del Rosario of the JICA Alumni Association of the Philippines (JAAP) received the award from Ambassador Haneda on behalf of his organization. Mr. JJ Samuel Soriano of The Philippines-Japan Society (PJS) shared a toast in honor of this special occasion.

The award recognizes PHILFEJA’s vital contributions to advancing Japan-Philippines relations for 42 years through its role in connecting all Filipino Japan alumni, disseminating valuable information about Japanese scholarship programs to Filipinos, and promoting the values of Japanese education in the Philippines.

Ambassador Haneda praised PHILFEJA for its active efforts for encouraging Filipino youth to study in Japan since its establishment in 1976. PHILFEJA members have since become instrumental for promoting cultural exchange and closer relations between Japan and the Philippines.