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Japan’s commitment to modernising the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) was recently underscored during a visit by Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tsuge Yoshifumi. The visit highlighted Japan’s dedication to enhancing PHLPost through advanced digitalisation strategies.
Minister Tsuge, who has a background as a former postmaster, engaged with PHLPost Chairman Stephen Crus and Postmaster General and CEO Luis Carlos to explore potential collaborations.
According to Postmaster General Carlos, “We are very much honoured to be visited by the State Minister of Japan for Foreign Affairs. The collaboration being offered is a welcome initiative for PHLPost. Through strengthened partnership and good governance, PHLPost will embark on a journey towards transformation and growth, together with its dedicated postal employees, as the postal service will remain committed to delivering reliable and affordable postal services, embracing innovation, and fostering closer ties with its stakeholders.”
The proposed collaboration is a significant step towards PHLPost’s transformation, underscoring the corporation’s commitment to embracing innovation while maintaining reliable and affordable postal services.
“Japan is eager to collaborate on projects that will drive modernisation across various aspects of postal operations,” Tsuge noted.
The discussions underscore Japan’s strategic intent to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), with a particular emphasis on advancing its digital infrastructure. Japan’s support aims to modernise PHLPost’s services, incorporating cutting-edge technology to address the evolving needs of the growing e-commerce sector. This includes implementing sophisticated digital systems for processing and tracking mail, upgrading sorting and delivery technologies, and integrating advanced data analytics to streamline operations.
Japan’s focus also includes upgrading PHLPost’s mail exchange centres and investigating new avenues in banking services, such as integrating advanced financial technologies and streamlining banking operations to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of financial services provided through the postal network.
The recent mission by the Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Post, and the Embassy of Japan to PHLPost facilities in March 2024 marked an important step in this partnership. Japanese representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Post, and the Embassy of Japan visited the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) for a two-day mission to enhance PHLPost’s mail dispatch and operations.
At the time, they met with PHLPost officials, including Postmaster General Luis D. Carlos, to discuss collaboration on projects aimed at improving postal operations, particularly at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City. This partnership seeks to optimise mail delivery to meet rising e-commerce demands.
The Japanese delegates, including experts from Japan Post Co. Ltd., observed operations at major post offices in Mega Manila to help PHLPost enhance its efficiency and boost its Integrated Index for Postal Development Score, to improve the Philippines’ ranking from 4th to 6th.
This mission further cemented the strong relationship between Japan and the Philippines, with a focus on leveraging Japan’s advanced postal infrastructure to enhance PHLPost operations.
Japan Post, renowned for its world-class postal services and infrastructure, operates around 24,000 post offices across Japan. It is the only Asian postal service ranked level 10 in the Integrated Index for Postal Development (2IPD) 2022 by the Universal Postal Union. By integrating Japan’s technological expertise, PHLPost aims to modernise its services, optimising mail delivery systems and improving overall efficiency in response to increasing e-commerce demands.
Minister Tsuge’s visit not only signals a technological leap for PHLPost but also strengthens the diplomatic and operational ties between the two nations, paving the way for a more robust and technologically advanced postal service in the Philippines.