GOVPH

PH AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM MEETS WITH CHAIRMAN OF HANOI PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE

PH Ambassador H.E. Meynardo Montealegre called on Mr. Tran Sy Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, and Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee on 8 May 2025.

During the meeting, the Ambassador conveyed appreciation for Hanoi’s impressive economic and urban development, and thanked the city for the warm and thoughtful reception accorded during the visit of H.E. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in January 2024.

The Ambassador also informed Chairman Thanh of several forthcoming cultural exchange activities to be organized by the Embassy in Hanoi, including the Filipino Food Festival in June, a joint art exhibit with Philippine and Vietnamese artists in October and the annual Christmas Parol Lighting at the Embassy in December, and invited the Chairman to attend the events.

Significantly, the Ambassador proposed the establishment of Sister City Relations between Hanoi and Quezon City*, one of the Philippines’ key political and economic centers. Chairman Thanh expressed strong support for enhancing relations between Hanoi and Quezon City and welcomed the proposal to institutionalize the partnership. He likewise recommended that both sides begin drafting a cooperation agreement, identify key areas of collaboration, and aim for the signing and implementation by 2026.

This proposed timeline also aligns with the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Vietnam (12 July 1976 – 12 July 2026). Chairman Thanh also extended a formal invitation to the leaders of Quezon City to visit Hanoi at a mutually convenient time, and suggested to return the visit in 2026 where the agreement may be then signed.

Chairman Tran Sy Thanh presents a souvenir to Ambassador Montealegre at the Hanoi People’s Committee Hall

Accompanying the Ambassador during the call are First Secretary and Consul Shirley O. Nuevo (2nd from left) and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ysobel M. Pareja (leftmost) and Embassy Interpreter Nguyen Tran Kim Ngoc (rightmost)

AMB. MONTEALEGRE PAYS A COURTESY CALL ON THE GEN-SEC H.E. TO LAM

Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Meynardo LB. Montealegre, pays a courtesy call on the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), H.E. Mr. To Lam, in Hanoi on 24 April 2025. Ambassador Montealegre was accompanied by Embassy officials during the meeting. High-level CPV leaders and officials from Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.

During the meeting, CPV General Secretary To Lam stated that Vietnam highly values its Strategic Partnership with the Philippines, commended the Ambassador’s work in maintaining the robust and substantive development of the two countries’ relationship and expressed Vietnam’s desire to elevate the relationship between the two countries to new, deeper, and more comprehensive heights for the benefit of both nations, the region, and the world.

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” ANGARA GOES TO HANOI FOR A WORKING VISIT AS SEAMEO COUNCIL PRESIDENT

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” ANGARA GOES TO HANOI FOR A WORKING VISIT AS SEAMEO COUNCIL PRESIDENT

29 April 2025 - A delegation from the Department of Education headed by H.E. Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara visited Hanoi to call on H.E. Nguyen Kim Son, Minister of Education and Training in Vietnam and met with the two SEAMEO Centers based in Ho Cho Minh City: SEAMEO Regional Training Centre (RETRAC) and SEAMEO Regional Centre for Lifelong Learners (CELLL). The working visit was made in the Secretary’s capacity as Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council President.

SEAMEO, a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 to promote cooperation in education, science and culture in the region, conducts capacity building activities aimed towards improving teacher education, as well as learning outcomes for students in basic education in the region. The Philippines assumed the two-year SEAMEO Council Presidency in 2023, which will be handed over to Brunei Darussalam in July 2025.

Minister Son welcomed the delegation and expressed his willingness to work with the Philippines to further education cooperation. He commended the Philippines for their efforts, noting especially how many Vietnamese citizens visit the Philippines to learn English.

Secretary Angara thanked the Minister for the warm reception and expressed his congratulations to Vietnam for the 50th Anniversary of the Reunification and Liberation of the South being celebrated nationwide on 30 April. He likewise commended Vietnam and its strong emphasis on early childhood education, its efforts in ensuring inclusive, universal education, and its commitment to allocating 20% of the national budget to education.

SEAMEO representatives shared their various programs and initiatives for leadership training for educators and advancing lifelong learning in Southeast Asia, and expressed their commitment to collaborate with countries in the region and strengthen partnerships to create inclusive educational systems to create opportunities.

The two sides shared best practices to improve higher education and make it more accessible, with a particular focus on teacher development through the SEAMEO centers which Secretary Angara highlighted as crucial to realize the shared vision for a stronger ASEAN.

“As we continue to strive towards the collective dream of a prosperous Southeast Asia, let us remain resolute in our commitment to these shared principles: empowering our educators, enabling our learners and building stronger, more resilient societies.”

END.

Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara with Vietnam Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son

Secretary Angara and Minister Son (8th from left) with representatives from DepEd, MOET, the Philippine Embassy in Hanoi and SEAMEO