GMA signs 4 agreements with Palau president

MANILA, Philippines – Palau President Tommy Remengesau concluded his two-day state visit to the Philippines yesterday with the signing of four agreements between the two countries on various fields of common interest.

Remengesau, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, witnessed the signing of the agreements with President Arroyo in Malacañang yesterday.

The agreements covered air services, academic cooperation, medical tourism and communications.

Palau and the Philippines signed an amendment to its bilateral air services agreement that would expand and enhance the positive air services relations that started when the initial agreement was signed in 2003. Transportation undersecretary Doroteo Reyes, chairman of the Philippine Air Services Panel, signed on behalf of the Philippine government while Minister of Commerce Otoichi Besebes represented Palau.

“We have a wonderful interaction of people between our two countries. That is why we are happy that today there was a signing of an amendment, an expansion of our air services agreement with each other so that this two-way exchange of tourists, diving tourists and medical tourists will become bigger than ever,” Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech at the state luncheon she hosted for Remengesau.

The Philippines and Palau also signed a memorandum of understanding where both countries would exchange knowledge and expertise on medical tourism/medical referral and higher education.

In the field of education, a memorandum of agreement on academic cooperation was also signed between the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Palau Community College.

Under the agreement, the two countries would strive to promote cooperation in higher education and professional training, including the development of institutional linkages at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels.

CHED chairman Romulo Neri signed the agreement on behalf of the Philippines while Minister of State Temmy Shmull signed for Palau.

The fourth agreement was forged between two private corporations – the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and the Palau National Communications Corp. (PNCC) for the establishment of direct communication links between the two countries.

In a statement, PLDT said that the memorandum of understanding with PNCC would transform and strengthen the long-standing informal relationship between PLDT and PNCC.  – Marvin Sy