PH, Spain agree to promote Spanish language, culture

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Spain signed several agreements to continue promoting the Spanish language and culture in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday, October 24.

Both countries also agreed to mutually recognize degrees of higher education and continue working together on sports after the visit of Spanish Vice Foreign Minister Alberto de Benito.

The Philippines and Spain will continue to work together on issues of mutual concern such as environment and sustainable development, climate change, disaster risk reduction, transnational crimes, human rights, among others, the DFA added in a statement.

De Benito met on Tuesday with Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Erlinda Basilio in the highest-level meeting between representatives of both countries since President Benigno Aquino III entertained Spanish Queen Sofia on her last visit to the Philippines in June.

The Philippines and Spain are working towards soon signing an Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Transnational Crime, increasing bilateral trade and getting more Spanish companies interested in infrastructure projects under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

A statement from the Spanish Foreign Ministry said that bilateral relations with the former Spanish colony are now “excellent.” – Rappler.com