Japan has provided 3.350 billion yen in grant aid to the Philippines to help improve its meteorological radar system, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday.

In a simple ceremony held at the DFA building in Pasay City on Friday morning, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura signed and exchanged the notes for the implementation of project that seeks to better equip and enhance the capacity of the country’s weather bureau in monitoring weather disturbances and in warning dissemination.

The project’s implementing arm is Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)-Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

The allocated fund will be used to replace the three existing Meteorological Radar Systems in Aparri, Cagayan; Virac, Catanduanes; and Guian, Samar and to purchase a new Doppler (S-band) radar systems.

“The Philippine government welcomed this latest Japanese assistance package as timely and useful for the country, especially in light of the widespread destruction wrought by weather disturbances “Ondoy” and “Pepeng’’, and ongoing efforts to improve local meteorological capabilities,” the DFA said in a statement.

The DFA also noted that last March 30, Romulo and Katsura also exchanged the notes on the project’s detailed design that paved way for the allocation of 23 million yen (P12 million).