In a historic moment of reaffirming ties and commitment with its host country, the Philippines, the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) signed a revised and updated Headquarters Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on October 31, 2024 in a signing ceremony held at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office in Pasay City, Philippines.
The Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hon. Enrique A. Manalo, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), signed the MOA on behalf of the Government of the Philippines (GoP) while the CPSC Director General Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhameja signed on behalf of the College. Hon. Maria Teresa T. Almojuela, Assistant Secretary, DFA-Office of United Nations and International Organizations (DFA-UNIO) and Mr. El Cid Castillo, Executive Director, Qualifications and Standards Office, TESDA served as witnesses on behalf of the Philippines and CPSC, respectively, during the MOA signing ceremony.
Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hon. Manalo, conveyed his “optimism in the important TVET initiatives outlined in the CPSC Strategic Plan 2023-2028, such as skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, renewable energy, and lifelong learning, among others. It is therefore my fervent hope that the signing of this updated MOA, and its eventual ratification, will assist CPSC in meeting the objectives of its medium-term Plan, and strengthen our partnership towards shaping globally competitive professionals across the region.”
Prof. Dr. Dhameja expressed CPSC’s profound gratitude to the Government of the Philippines for having been the College’s host country for 37 years since its transfer from Singapore. He expressed his appreciation to the host country for serving as “a bastion of learning and a platform for sharing on the emerging trends and best practices towards the enhancement of the technical vocational education and training (TVET) systems, for educators and professionals in the Asia Pacific region and beyond”. He especially thanked the Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hon. Manalo, the Office of United Nations and International Organizations (DFA-UNIO), the Office of Protocol, DFA; TESDA, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). The CPSC DG also thanked all his predecessors, especially Prof. G.L.D. Wickramasinghe, 12th Director General, for paving the way towards the realization of the renewed and redefined cooperation of CPSC and the Republic of the Philippines through the MOA signing.
Other Philippine government agencies officials present to witness the MOA signing include Hon. Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda, Chief of Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines, Hon. Francisco Noel Fernandez III, Director General, Foreign Services Institute (FSI), and Ms. Olivia Bong Coo, Commissioner, PSC. Representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) were also present.
Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hon. Manalo (center), CPSC Director General Prof. Dr. Dhameja (eighth from left), Hon. Assec. Almojuela, DFA-UNIO (sixth from left), TESDA ED Mr. Castillo (ninth from left), Hon. ASSEC Ariel Peñaranda, Chief of Protocol, DFA (fifth from left), Hon. Francisco Noel Fernandez III, Director General, Foreign Services Institute (FSI) (third from left), with other officials from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and other DFA officials during the MOA signing ceremony.
The MOA signing marked the continued and revitalized partnership of CPSC and the Philippines in honor of the south to south cooperation towards achieving CPSC’s mandate for sustainable development through TVET in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
The CPSC team composed of Ms. Arlene Cruz, Executive Secretary, Ms. Rosalinda Gonzales, Finance Officer, Mr. Vergel dela Paz, Training and Development Officer, Ms. Chyna Lorania, HR Officer and Mr. Paul Mayo, ICT Staff were also present at the event to witness the signing.
CPSC DG (third from left), Hon. Assec. Almojuela, DFA-UNIO (fourth from left), Mr. Rigoberto Banta, DFA (first from left), Ms. Arlene Cruz, Executive Secretary (fifth from left), Ms. Rosalinda Gonzales, Finance Officer (seventh from left), Mr. Vergel dela Paz, Training and Development Officer (eighth from left), Ms. Chyna Lorania, HR Officer (sixth from left) during the MOA signing ceremony.
CPSC was first hosted by the member country Singapore in 1973 prior to being hosted by the Government of the Philippines by the invitation of the then Philippine Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) Secretary Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing (RIP) in 1987.
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