Senator Loren Legarda witnesses the signing of the Philippine Embassy-SOAS Agreement
between Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo and Baroness Valerie Amos
On 24 October 2017, Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Antonio Lagdameo and Baroness Valerie Amos, Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, signed the Gift Agreement to support Philippine studies programs at the world’s leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Senator Loren Legarda, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance who is also the main sponsor of the project, graced the formal signing ceremony in London.
Under the Gift Agreement, the Philippine Government thru the Office of Senator Legarda has donated the sum of ₱5,000,000 for the purpose of supporting academic activities and projects to advance Philippine studies at SOAS from 2017 to 2020.
The Philippine studies project will organize a series of academic activities that include, among others, workshops, conferences, language curriculum program, research and travel grants, digitization of SOAS Philippine materials, and administrative work for the establishment of Philippine Studies Center within the university.
The project is an outcome of collaboration between academic and cultural teams from SOAS and the Philippine Embassy in London.
Ambassador Lagdameo praised the generous support of Senator Legarda for the project which was initiated under the watch of former Ambassador (and now Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary) Enrique Manalo. He also thanked SOAS officials for their profound interest in the study of the Philippines.
“We welcome this academic collaboration between the Philippine Embassy and SOAS, a first of its kind in the UK. We very much look forward to expanding this meaningful partnership between the Philippines and SOAS”, said Ambassador Lagdameo.
The signing ceremony was also attended by Dr Ben Murtagh, Head of SOAS School of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics, Dr Cristina Juan, Research Associate, Ms Ruth O’Hanlon Lauren Welch, Director for Development, Consul General Senen Mangalile, Consul Rommel Romato and Ms Kristine Sheree Mangunay-Infante of the Office of Senator Legarda.
Established in 1916, SOAS offers more than 350 degree combinations in social sciences, arts, humanities and languages, all with a distinctive regional focus and global relevance. It has produced several heads of states, government ministers, diplomats, jurists, business leaders and many other notable leaders around the world. END