Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto was one of the young leaders endorsed and selected by the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia to join the “Future Leaders Invitation Program” or “Programme d’invitation des personnalités d’avenir” (PIPA) in Paris, France last Jan. 21 to 28.
According to the French Embassy, PIPA “seeks to provide future leaders with an in-depth knowledge of France, based on high-level professional contacts relating to their activities and areas of interest,” as well as foster special ties between France and the delegates’ countries of origin.
The activities and meetings included in the program are customized based on the participant’s chosen advocacies or fields of interest or expertise.
As such, the French Embassy said they personalized the program for Sotto by focusing on examining the political party system and healthcare system in France.
The French Embassy shared on Thursday, Feb. 1, photos of Sotto as he attended the various events and activities offered by the program.
He met with representatives from the French Sénat (French Senate), Assemblée nationale (National Assembly), National Commission for Public Debate, National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing, High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, and the Council of State.
The mayor also visited the Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris and the French Ministry of Health, where he engaged with many health officials.
Last Monday, Jan. 30, Sotto shared his insights and the lessons he learned from the program in France.
Among the lessons he plans to adopt in the Pasig local government is the implementation of long-term programs using simpler approaches. He also highlighted the minimal influence of politics in government projects.
Sotto was chosen from among 300 young leaders, aged 25 to 45, to join PIPA.
PIPA operates under the Office of the Future Leaders Invitation Program at the Strategy, Analysis and Policy Planning Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.