MANILA – Japan has approved a P5.97 billion (11.80 billion yen) for the Philippines to support the building and repair of "basic infrastructure" for farm workers who received land through the country's 19-year-old agrarian reform program, the department said yesterday.

It is part of the 19.4 billion yen in loans granted by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to the Philippines to support land reform and bring relief to communities threatened by volcanic mud.

A 7.6 billion yen loan would be used for flood control works in seven towns and cities around Pinatubo volcano in Luzon , the economic planning department said.

Volcanic material from a major Pinatubo eruption in 1991 silted major river systems in the area, unleashing mudflows that have buried entire communities.

Loan terms were not disclosed.*AFP

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