Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao (second right) with President Benigno Aquino III (left) at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila yesterday.
MANILA: The Philippines and Timor-Leste yesterday signed agreements on foreign policy, public works and education as part of their continuing efforts to boost their diplomatic ties.
The three agreements were signed during the courtesy call of Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao on President Aquino in Malacañang, one of the highlights of his five-day visit to the Philippines.
The first agreement was the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Policy Consultations between the two countries’ foreign ministries.
The agreement seeks to establish a bilateral mechanism that would enable the two countries to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues. It will also define the cooperation between the Philippines and Timor-Leste, the two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Southeast Asia.
The MOU was signed by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Timor-Leste Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Jose Luís Guterres.
The second MOU seeks to build the capacity of Timor-Leste in infrastructure planning, quality control, and maintenance by tapping the expertise of trainers from the Philippine Public Works department.
The agreement was inked by Philippine Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and his Timor-Leste counterpart Public Works Minister Gastão Francisco de Sousa.
The third agreement aims to develop a program for teachers and officials of Timor-Leste to build their capacity in offering degrees, programs and specialisations. Experts from the Philippine Normal University will be tapped to conduct the training for Timor Leste educators.
The MOU was signed by Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan and Timor Leste Education Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas.
In a speech delivered after his meeting with Gusmao, Aquino said the two countries would continue to boost their relationship through engagements in education, defence, infrastructure and trade.
“With the signing of the agreements on infrastructure development and capacity building amongst others, we open more doors of opportunity for both our peoples, empowering them to take part in further building a more equitable, more progressive Southeast Asia,” Aquino said.
“We are bound by common aspirations. It is by working together that we realise the potential of our nations and of our region,” Aquino said. The two leaders also agreed to conduct consultations on defence matters and to exchange intelligence information.
Aquino also cited the flourishing trade between the two countries, the volume of which almost tripled in the last two years.
In response, Gusmao thanked the Philippines for helping build the administrative capabilities of his country, which declared its independence from Indonesia in 2002.
“I will leave the Philippines with renewed confidence and hope that the strong ties of friendship and solidarity between our peoples will carry on and that our dynamic partnership will continue to strengthen in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Philippines reaffirmed its support to Timor Leste’s bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
“We look forward to working more closely with you in the future in advancing regional dialogue, which we know will redound not only to the growth of our people and our countries, but will also contribute to the stability and continued development of our region,” Aquino said.
He also thanked Timor-Leste for donating $750,000 for the victims of typhoon “Pablo.”
Gusmao believes his country can contribute to the “dynamic and growing” Southeast Asian region.
“We look forward to joining with the Philippines in the Asean family,” he said. Gusmao’s visit to the Philippines is part of his plan to visit all members of the regional bloc this year.
Asean consists of the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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