The United Kingdom (UK) has reaffirmed its commitment to continue the science and tech partnership with the Philippines following the 1st Philippines-United Kingdom Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology held recently at The Manila Peninsula in Makati City.
“The UK is a proud and committed science and technology partner in the Philippines. Our scientific collaborations over the past decade have already delivered results in terms of people’s well-being, improved environmental management, food security, and wealth creation,” UK ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said.
Beaufils said the UK is also committed to doing even more together: ensuring that research and new technologies have real-life impacts on people’s health, on climate resilience, and food security in particular.
For his part, Department and Science Technology (DOST) undersecretary Leah Buendia said the Philippines is also committed to pursuing a partnership with the UK.
“The UK has been one of our prominent partners for the last decade, and we’re very happy with the output and the outcome of this partnership,” she said.
The JCM was attended by Susie Kitchens, deputy director of the Global Research and Innovation, International Research and Innovation Directorate of DSIT, as well as other representatives from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the British Embassy Manila, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Council, UKRI Medical Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care and the Met Office.
For the Philippines, the committee meeting included DOST assistant secretary Napoleon K. Juanillo Jr., assistant secretary Rodolfo Calzado Jr., and representatives from DOST, the DFA, and the Philippine Embassy in London.
Buendia said the successful conclusion of the 1st Philippines-United Kingdom Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology sets the stage for continued collaboration and advancements in the fields of innovation, research, and development between the two nations.
Both the Philippines and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving mutual goals and leveraging their longstanding partnership for the benefit of both countries and the global scientific community.
