THE Philippines and Timor Leste on Tuesday signed three bilateral pacts aimed at fostering cooperation between the two countries in the areas of marine and fisheries, academics and diplomat training.

In signing ceremonies at the Palace Reception Hall, President Arroyo and Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta witnessed the signing of the memoranda of agreement (MOA) on Academic Cooperation and on Marine and Fisheries Cooperation, and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the Training and Development of Timor Leste diplomats at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Foreign Service Institute (FSI).

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who signed the MOA on marine and fisheries cooperation with Timor Leste Foreign Affairs Minister Zacarias Albano Da Costa, said the agreement was spurred by Timor Leste’s interest in learning from Philippine fisheries development.

“They saw our development in fisheries and in all the subsectors in agriculture. Fisheries has the most high-yielding growth in the past 10 years. They would like to look at aquaculture development. So we will help them in their postharvest facilities and sustainable mariculture. There is also a provision on studying the fishing rights of the two countries,” Yap said.

The MOA on Academic Cooperation, signed by Acting Commission on Higher Education Chairman Nona Ricafort and Ambassador Francisco Tilman Cepeda, is expected to strengthen cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries through academic networking and exchanges, among others.

The MOU between the DFA through the FSI and Timor Leste’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the training of Timor Leste diplomats, which was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and his Timor Leste counterpart, provides for the acceptance of junior diplomats of Timor Leste into the FSI’s Foreign Service Officers’ Cadetship Program and FSI’s other training programs, including those “customized” to the diplomats’ needs.

Romulo told reporters after the bilateral meeting that Ramos-Horta reiterated Timor Leste’s support for the candidacy of Sen. Miriam Santiago in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), “and that they will be with us throughout for that voting.”

The Philippines is supporting Timor Leste’s bid for membership into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which Romulo said may hopefully happen “by 2012.”

“We were talking about our supporting them [Timor Leste] for the Asean and, in fact, we continue to support them. We hope that by 2012, they can be a member of the Asean. We have been supportive of them from the very beginning,” he said.

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Foreign biz worried by skills-jobs mismatch

FOR five years now, the foreign chambers have been telling the government and academe that the skills being produced in the country do not match the needs of the industries.

RP, Timor Leste ink three bilateral pacts

THE Philippines and Timor Leste on Tuesday signed three bilateral pacts aimed at fostering cooperation between the two countries in the areas of marine and fisheries, academics and diplomat training.

Dialogue key to attain lasting peace–Horta

PRESident Jose Ramos-Horta of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste on Monday underscored the importance of holding dialogues in settling conflicts to attain lasting peace.

Ombudsman assures Lacson of fair investigation

IT would just be a fact-finding investigation, not a “fresh vilification move.”

This was the assurance made by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez in reaction to opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s accusation that the government is again out to fabricate issues against him.