15 September 2016 — Speaking during the Plenary of the 17th FEALAC (Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held in Guatemala City on August 26, Head of Philippine Delegation and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) - Office of American Affairs Director Ms. Arlene T. Magno underscored that FEALAC remains an important link in facilitating practicable cooperation between East Asia and Latin America. She thanked Guatemala for its gracious hosting of the 17th SOM and noted that, 17 years after the FEALAC’s inception in 1999, the Forum remains a vibrant venue to discuss mutual areas of concern between the two regions.
According to Director Magno, she welcomed the proposals of the Republic of Korea (East Asian Regional Coordinator) to move the Forum forward, which included the establishment of a FEALAC fund to finance bi-regional and flagship projects, a Troika System to smoothen year-by-year transition of the group’s chairmanship, and the possibility of holding a FEALAC Summit in 2019 to celebrate the Forum’s 20th anniversary.
The Head of the Philippine Delegation also expressed support for the initiative of Guatemala (Latin American Regional Coordinator) to align FEALAC projects with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and cope with the impact of climate change by 2030.
Director Magno was joined by Acting Director Dennis Briones, Mr. Jasper S. Revilla, Ms. Margaritas S. Padasas of the DFA-Office of American Affairs; and by Trade Attaché Mr. Vichael Angelo Roaring and Political Assistant Mr. Raymund Ondiano of the Philippine Embassy in Mexico. Also included in the Philippine delegation was Ms. Silvana Ayuso, the Philippine Honorary Consul in Guatemala.
The 17th SOM and its Working Group meetings were attended by Vice Ministers, Directors General, Ambassadors and Senior Officials from 36 FEALAC member countries (16 from East Asia and 20 from Latin America). The next Foreign Ministers Meeting is scheduled to take place in Seoul or Busan on May 25, 2017.
FEALAC is the only forum for bi-regional dialogue between East Asia and Latin America. The Philippines is a founding member of FEALAC. END
