01 July 2015 - The National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) embarked on their study trip to Germany from May 10 to 19. The Philippine Embassy in Berlin facilitated the group´s courtesy calls on officials of the Federal Foreign Office, Ministry of Interior (BMI), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Berlin.  Meetings in Bonn with the Ministry of Defense (BMVg), Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as well as a visit to the Köln City Hall.

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek hosted a dinner for visiting students and officials of the NDCP at the Embassy’s Bulwagang Rizal. 

NDCP, as the premier institution for defense and security education, training, and research in the Philippines, is currently conducting the 50th Regular Course of the one-year Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) Program. The delegation was composed of four NDCP officials headed by the Chief of the Academic Affairs Division Prof. Charithie B Joaquin and 22 MNSA students, including one Brigadier from Sri Lankan Army.

Integral to the MNSA Program is the conduct of the annual Regional Security and Development Study (RSDS). The RSDS involves visits to a select country in a given region in order to provide an opportunity for the students to interact with key officials and stakeholders in the focus areas and identify important issues for development and national security.  END