PH Embassy in Santiago and University of the Philippines-Diliman Explore Joint Projects and Collaboration with Universities in Chile, Other South American Countries

SANTIAGO 16 January 2024 – The Philippine Embassy in Santiago, the University of the Philippines Diliman, and the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of American Affairs (DFA - OAA) met virtually to identify potential areas for collaboration with higher educational institutions in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

During the meeting, the University of the Philippines Diliman mentioned its ongoing agreement with the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja in Ecuador through the College of Architecture.

UP Diliman expressed its interest in establishing ties with other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador in research, faculty and student exchanges, especially in music and the arts, astronomy/astrophysics, and natural and engineering sciences.

UP welcomed the Embassy’s plan to promote courses in learning English as a second language (ESL) in the countries under Post’s jurisdiction. To add value to the ESL program, the two partners agreed to explore incorporating Spanish colonial history, Philippine culture, and/or Asian studies and building on common areas of interest between the Philippines and Chile such as religion, indigenous studies, and folk music. The Embassy and UP Diliman also agreed to work together to find ways to revive interest in learning the Spanish language and offering to Filipino students Latin American studies in universities in South America.

The Philippine Embassy, UP Diliman and DFA’s Office of American Affairs likewise exchanged ideas on possible activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Peru in 2024. UP Diliman suggested music as a good starting point for the celebration. For this reason, it was suggested that the UP Rondalla would play the compositions of José Libornio, a Filipino musician who composed Peru's second national anthem in the late 19th century,  Marcha de Banderas (March of Flags).

The Embassy team was represented by the Philippine Ambassador to Chile Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, and Minister and Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin, Communication and Records Officer and former Cultural and Community Relations Officer Brian Peter C. Bustamante, and the new Cultural and Community Relations Officer Kimiko R. Gata. Ms. Rochelle Chen represented the DFA-OAA.

For the UP Diliman Team, present were Dr. Carlene PC Pilar-Arceo, Dr. Marie Jocelyn U. Marfil, Prof. Monica Fides Amada W. Santos, Mr. Justin Alcantara, and Ms. Noelle Rivera.

Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat expressed gratitude for the commitment to ongoing collaboration and continued communication, as well as the optimism of these initiatives' positive impact on cultural understanding, academic excellence, and diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Chile.

To conclude she stressed the Philippines’ unique perspective. She says, “We are a bridge between Latin America and Asia. We straddle the two worlds through our Asian character and Hispanic heritage. Let us deepen our relations with Latin America by building on our common historical past as a starting point.” END

For more information, visit https://www.santiagope.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinChile.