21 September 2015 - New Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Wilfredo C. Santos paid an introductory courtesy call on Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Khalifa Al Thani at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP) on September 15.

Ambassador Santos thanked the host government for Qatar's hospitality in hosting an estimated 190,000 Filipinos, many of whom are employed in various infrastructure projects under the MMUP.

He also thanked the Minister for his part in facilitating the approval of the construction of the new building for the Philippine School Doha. The construction has started with a target completion of late 2017.

With regard to the accreditation process of engineering professionals in Qatar, Ambassador Santos informed the Minister that the Philippine government has granted approval for the offering of a one-year masteral degree program for engineering disciplines by two universities identified as centers of excellence in the technical field.

He also expressed his hope that the visit of the Qatari delegation composed of officials from the Urban Planning and Development Authority and the Equivalency Committee of the Supreme Education Council will be carried out in October. According to him, this visit will foster a better understanding of the Philippine education system and the Philippine regulatory mechanisms for the licensing of professionals in the Philippines.

The Minister expressed his support for the plan to send a Qatari delegation to the Philippines to discuss the issue of the accreditation of Philippine colleges and universities in Qatar and assured Ambassador Santos of his assistance in facilitating arrangements for the visit.

Finally, Ambassador Santos conveyed his intention to build stronger bilateral ties and closer cooperation between the Philippines and Qatar on issues of mutual interest. Specifically, he mentioned the possibility of entering into a cooperation agreement between Qatar's Urban Planning and Development Authority and the Philippine Regulation Commission with the aim of sharing regulatory experiences and best practices. END