MANILA, Philippines – Palalawakin pa ng Pilipinas at Laos ang bilateral cooperation nito sa basic education, sinabi ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nitong Biyernes, Agosto 4.
Ayon kay Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, isinasapinal na ng dalawang bansa ang kasunduan, sabay-sabing kapwa sumasang-ayon ang Pilipinas at Laos sa, “investing in education is investing in the future.”
Wala pang ibang detalye ang DFA sa sakop ng kasunudna ngunit susundin umano nito ang 2017 signing of Philippine-Laos Academic Cooperation in Higher Education.
“Between us, we have some of the youngest populations in Southeast Asia,” ani Manalo sa kanyang policy speech sa Lao Institute of Foreign Affairs International Cooperation and Training Center.
“We know that the promise of the ‘demographic dividend’ can be fulfilled only if we ensure that our young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to fulfill their potentials and become drivers of social progress,” dagdag pa niya.
Sa kasalukuyan, pinakamalaking grupo ng mga Filipino sa Laos ay nasa education sector.
”This Filipino contribution to the education of this country—to the very task of nurturing the future generation of your nation– evokes deep sentiments of kinship between our two peoples,” sinabi pa ni Manalo.
Nakikipagtulungan din umano ang Manila sa Vientiane sa pagpapalawak ng child’s right, na pinakikilala ng Laos sa pamamagitan ng Noi program.
Nagbibigay ito ng plataporma sa mga partners na tugunan ang kinakaharap na pagsubok ng mga babaeng Lao sa edukasyon, sexual at reproductive health, nutrisyon at iba pa.
“Indeed, the empowerment of girls and women is a shared task that our two governments take very seriously. The Philippines, as the top country in East Asia in the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, ranking 16th out of 146 nations in 2023, has much to share in this regard,” pagtatapos ni Manalo. RNT/JGC
