The Philippines and Mongolia have agreed to intensify bilateral talks covering education, climate change, tourism, and sports cooperation, among others, the Philippines’ and Mongolia’s foreign affairs chief said on Monday, Aug. 5.

(From left) DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo and Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg (Photos from Secretary Manalo via X)

In separate statements during their bilateral meeting, the officials declared the Philippines has donated $50,000 to Mongolia for disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation.

“The‬‭ Philippines‬‭ and‬‭ Mongolia‬‭ are‬‭ both‬‭ vulnerable‬‭ to‬‭ natural‬‭ calamities,‬‭ and‬‭ must‬‭ work‬ together‬‭ to‬‭ mitigate‬‭ and‬‭ reduce‬‭ disaster‬‭ risks,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo said.

“As‬‭ an‬‭ expression‬‭ of‬‭ solidarity,‬‭ the‬ Philippines‬‭ has‬‭ donated‬‭ a‬‭ modest‬‭ amount‬‭ to‬‭ assist‬‭ the‬‭ Government‬‭ of‬‭ Mongolian‬ addressing the impact of natural disasters,” he added.

While he did not mention the amount, Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg announced that the aid was worth $50,000.

“As a Member of the Cabinet and President of the Mongolian Red Cross Society, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to our Filipino friends for their goodwill and wonderful gesture of friendship,” he said.

“As both Mongolia and the Philippines are vulnerable to climate change risks, we will work even closer together to combat climate change, mitigate and overcome disaster risks, and build resilient communities,” the foreign official added.

Citing that both the Philippines‬‭ and‬‭ Mongolia‬‭ are “vulnerable‬‭ to‬‭ natural‬‭ calamities,” Manalo stressed the need to “work‭ together‬‭ to‬‭ mitigate‬‭ and‬‭ reduce‬‭ disaster‬‭ risks.”

Manalo said there were also talks to promote trade between the two countries, and congratulated Mongolia for attaining an upper‬‭ middle-income‬ economy‬‭ status‬‭ this‬‭ year.

Additionally, the officials discussed the establishment of ties between their business communities and the potential for cooperation in tourism, agriculture, and education.

“With Mongolia designating English as its official foreign language, there is a growing demand for skilled English teachers. We have agreed to collaborate with the Philippines on training our rural and regional English teachers both systematically and regionally by improving capacity-building, organizing trainings and workshops as well as implementing teacher exchange programs,” Battsetseg said.

The Mongolian foreign minister disclosed as well plans to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and expanding cooperation in the tourism sector.

“We have agreed to cooperate on further improving the favorable conditions of visa-free travel for our citizens,” he shared.

He added that there were also discussions in intensifying cooperation in the health sector as “both sides expressed their readiness to collaborate in the training and capacity-building of Mongolian doctors and specialists through short and medium-term programs and workshops in the Philippines.”

Furthermore, Manalo announced that they signed the‬‭ Memorandum‬‭ of‬‭ Understanding‬‭ on‬‭ Cooperation‬‭ between‬‭ our‬‭ Foreign‬‭ Ministries.‬

‭”This‬‭ agreement‬‭ commits‬‭ both‬‭ sides‬‭ to‬‭ cooperate‬‭ and‬‭ coordinate‬‭ on‬‭ bilateral‬‭ and‬ international issues of common concern,” he said.