Timor Leste PM ends four-day visit to Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Timor Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao ended his four-day visit to the country Sunday night.

Gusmao left on Philippine Airlines flight PR-537 for Bali, Indonesia after being accorded foyer honors at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 by officials led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Gusmao arrived on June 6 and met with President Aquino, who hosted a luncheon in his honor. He also met with former President and Manila Mayor-elect Joseph Estrada and former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Gusmao and Aquino witnessed the signing of three agreements, which are seen to boost diplomatic ties.

Among the agreements is the Memorandum of Understanding and Policy, which seeks to establish a mechanism that would enable the two countries to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues. Del Rosario and Timor-Leste Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Jose Luís Guterres signed the memorandum.

The second agreement seeks to build the capacity of Timor-Leste in infrastructure planning, quality control, and maintenance by tapping the expertise of trainers from the Department of Public Works and Highways. Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and his Timor-Leste counterpart Public Works Minister Gastão Francisco de Sousa signed it.

The third agreement aims to develop a program for teachers and education officials of Timor-Leste to build their capacity in offering degrees, programs and specializations. Experts from the Philippine Normal University will conduct the training for Timor-Leste educators.

Commission on Higher Education chair Patricia Licuanan and Timor-Leste Education Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas signed the agreement.

Gusmao had said he plans to visit all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year. He said he believes his country can contribute to the “dynamic and growing” Southeast Asian region.

“We look forward to joining the Philippines in the ASEAN family,” he said.

ASEAN consists of the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.