Israel offers assistance to UP

MANILA, Philippines - The Israeli government has offered to provide the University of the Philippines with models of innovation start-ups and research assistance in water security and information and communication technology.

The university said Israeli Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau discussed such a possibility with UP president Alfredo Pascual during their meeting last week.

“Ambassador Matityau also briefed Pascual on Israel’s global initiative promoting an ‘ecosystem of innovation,’ including new agricultural technology,” the university said.

The ambassador, along with other embassy officials, met with Pascual at the UP Diliman campus on Jan. 21 to discuss possible joint initiatives between Israel and UP.

“The parties talked about holding educational and commemorative activities on the Philippines’ acceptance of 1,300 Jewish refugees during the Holocaust and the Philippines voting in favor of the UN resolution establishing the Jewish state, for which the ambassador expressed Israel’s gratitude,” said the university.

UP also noted the possibility of bringing Margot Pins, a surviving beneficiary of the country’s open-door policy for Jewish refugees during World War II, to the university.