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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

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN HANOI ORGANIZES TWO-DAY ART EXHIBIT TO COMMEMORATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PH-VN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

31 March 2025 - The Philippine Embassy in Hanoi together with the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City organized a two-day exhibit entitled “Blossoming Bridges: Women Artists Celebrate 10 Years of Strategic Partnership” from 27 to 28 March 2025.

Hosted in Nam Thi House in Ho Chi Minh City, Filipino artists Bing Famoso and Mylene Quito showcased ten pieces each. Ms. Famoso, founder of Philippine Botanical Art Society and Philippine Fauna Art Society, showcased five paintings of endemic Philippine birds including the Philippine Eagle and Negros Bleeding Heart and five endemic Vietnamese birds such as the Collared Laughingthrush and Edward’s Pheasant. Ms. Quito showcased ten paintings of indigenous Philippine flowers such as the sampaguita, ylang-ylang and the Palawan Cherry Blossom with her signature bold colors, texture and layering technique.

Joining the Filipino artists was 90-year-old Vietnamese painter Madam Nguyen Thi Tam, an accomplished and well-decorated artist based in Ho Chi Minh known for her silk paintings. With lotus as her favorite subject, she displayed ten of her works which feature her signature style of gentle strokes and use of soft, elegant colors, leaving a deep impression on viewers.

In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps based in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives from the Vietnamese business community, members of the Filipino community including Philippine businessmen, and artists, collectors and art enthusiasts from Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding provinces.

Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo LB. Montealegre, in his remarks, highlighted how art is a powerful tool to connect people from different backgrounds and communicate emotions and histories that both Vietnamese and Philippine audiences can relate to. He also noted that as March is International Women’s Month, the exhibit recognizes the vital role of women in society, particularly in preserving art and cultural heritage and in bridging diverse communities.

As the event commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership of the Philippines and Vietnam, he shared how the exhibit highlights the partnership between the two countries which extends beyond political and economic cooperation, fostering deeper people-to-people exchanges through art and culture.

“Let this event serve both as a celebration of the 10 Years of Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam, but also as an invitation to continue collaborating and fostering greater understanding between our people.”

END.

 

Ambassador Montealegre giving his opening remarks during the exhibit

 

Ambassador Montealegre with VN artist Nguyen Thi Tam

 

Members of the Ho Chi Minh City diplomatic corps, Philippine and Vietnamese businessmen and art enthusiasts gathering in Nam Thi House for the opening of the exhibit

 

Ambassador Montealegre (6th from left) with Philippine Honorary Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Atty. Le Thi Phung (5th from left) together with Philippine artists Ms. Bing Famoso (3rd from right) and Ms. Mylene Quito (2nd from right) with the rest of the Philippine Embassy team.

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