23 June 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Dili informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Timor-Leste Government has sent a new batch of scholars to pursue tertiary education in the Philippines.

The announcement was formally made by the Ministry of Education (MOE) of Timor-Leste during a send-off ceremony it organized for the scholars last May 21.

Philippine Ambassador to Timor-Leste Maria Aileen H. Bugarin, who was invited by the MOE, exhorted the students to make their stay in the Philippines as fruitful and productive as ever.

“Similar to the Philippine Government, the Timor-Leste Government is also pursuing inclusive economic growth through investments in education. As scholars of your country, please do not squander such immense opportunity given to you by your government. Learn as much as you can. Harness your full potential as a person, so that when you return to Timor-Leste, you could contribute something positive to your country,” the Ambassador said.

Ambassador Bugarin also encouraged the scholars to be positive cultural agents of Timor-Leste to the Philippines, and help nurture in their own little ways the existing positive linkages between the two countries.

The deployment of scholars was made possible through the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Academic Cooperation that the Philippines and Timor-Leste signed in 2008. The MOA is line with the Philippine Government’s commitment to help Timor-Leste in its human resource development efforts.  END