17 November 2016 – Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Meynardo LB. Montealegre delivered a special talk on the Philippines’ priorities for the country’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017 at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS) in the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam (MinDef) on November 14.
Among the items discussed by Ambassador Montealegre during his talk included the theme of the Philippines’ Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017; thematic priorities of the country; major ASEAN meetings to be hosted by the Philippines next year; commemorative activities on the occasion of the 50th Founding Anniversary of the ASEAN; and perspectives on the ASEAN Political Security Community, with emphasis on the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus.
Bruneian officials present during the event included Captain (Rtd) Haji Mohammad Amirul Shahnoel bin Haji Mohammad Noeh, Acting Permanent Secretary, MinDef; Captain (Retired) Abd Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Defense Policy and Development), MinDef; Brigadier General Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF); First Admiral Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad, Commander of Royal Brunei Navy (RBN); Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Shahril Anwar bin Haji Ma’awiah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF);Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat, Joint Force Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Haji Muhd Shahrul Nizzam bin Umar,Director of SHHBIDSS; other senior officials from MinDef and RBAF; and students of Leadership and Executive Development Programs at the SHHBIDSS.
Following the talk, Ambassador Montealegre responded to various queries from the audience during the open forum. Prior to the conclusion of the event, MinDef Acting Permanent Secretary Captain (Rtd) Haji Mohammad Amirul Shahnoel bin Haji Mohammad Noeh presented a token of appreciation to the Ambassador.
MinDef officials lauded Ambassador Montealegre for delivering a brief yet comprehensive talk on the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017. END
