26 February 2016 – A Philippine delegation composed of officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and medical universities in the country were on a two-day visit in Dhaka from February 28 to 29 to promote education opportunities in the Philippines and to embark on establishing academic partnerships between the Philippines and Bangladesh particularly in the fields of medicine, tourism and hospitality management.
A conference on education and tourism in the Philippines was held at the Westin Hotel Dhaka on February 28 which highlighted the delegation’s visit. It was participated in by representatives from the educational and medical institutions in Bangladesh such as the Center for Medical Education, Medical College for Women and Hospital, Untied Hospital Ltd. and Apollo Hospitals Dhaka. Secretary for Bilateral and Consular Mizanur Rahman of the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the conference as Chief Guest.
The participants discussed opportunities for cooperation in students and training exchange programs in both graduate and postgraduate medical degrees, as well as exploring the possibility of institutionalizing the process of sourcing medical specialists and nurses from the Philippines to provide services and training in hospitals in Bangladesh.
Aside from education, the promotion of tourism was another area of cooperation that was featured at the conference. A video clip on “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” was presented during the program and tourism brochures from the Department of Tourism (DOT) were given out to the Bangladeshi guests. Secretary Rahman conveyed keen desire of the government of Bangladesh to push for more and greater collaboration between his country and the Philippines on tourism sector.
“Education is certainly enhanced by cultural immersion, which tourism offers,” said Philippine Ambassador to Bangladesh Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo during his opening remarks at the conference. With the increase in visits of Bangladeshis to the Philippines in 2014 at a rate of 14.74%, Ambassador Bandillo expressed hope that the figure would continue to move only upwards as both countries enjoy and cultivate bilateral relations through cooperation.
The visit, led by International Economic Relations Affairs Undersecretary Laura Q. Del Rosario of the DFA, was part of the education and tourism roadshow conducted by the Philippine delegation starting from Colombo in Sri Lanka, Mumbai and Pune in India then in Dhaka. Members of the delegation were Mr. Von Ryan Ferrera of the DFA, Dr. Angelita Ago, president and Ms. Catherine Calleja, executive finance officer of Ago Medical and Educational Center-Bicol Christian College of Medicine (AMEC-BCCM) and Dr. Harivelle Charmaine Hernando, dean of the College of Medicine of the University of Perpetual Help-Las Piñas. END