Foreign ambassadors trooped to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte’s main office in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, to discuss various programs and projects that aim to help the country’s development in education, peace and security, labor force, renewable energy, and other shared interests.

Vice President Sara Duterte (left) shakes hands with Danish Ambassador Franz Michael Skjold Mellbin (right) during a meeting at her office in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (OVP photo)

The Vice President’s official Facebook page made several posts to show her meetings with Ambassadors Christian Halaas Lyster of Norway, Dr. Titanilla Tóth of Hungary, Franz Michael Skjold Mellbin of Denmark, Laure Beaufils of the United Kingdom, Marat Ignatyevich Pavlov of Russia, and Miguel Utray Delgado of Spain.

Aside from thanking the foreign envoys for visiting her office, Duterte also shared the topics discussed during their meetings.

Lyster, she said, recognized the “quality” of the Filipino labor force.

“Ipinaabot niya ang paghanga sa mga manggagawang Pinoy lalo na sa mga seafarers na bumubuo ng malaking bilang sa (He extended his recognition of the Filipino workers especially seafarers who make up a large part of the) maritime industry ng (of) Norway,” Duterte wrote.

Ambassador Christian Halaas Lyster of Norway (right) during a courtesy call to Vice President Sara Duterte (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

The official added that she and the envoy also discussed their countries’ development agenda, such as renewable energy, peace and security, and education.

The Philippines and Norway will celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this March.

The Vice President also wrote about Tóth’s visit to her office as this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Hungary and the Philippines.

The envoy introduced her country’s The Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Program, which aims to provide free support for Filipino students.

“Dagdag pa niya, ang programang ito ay nakatutok sa (She added that this program is focused on) undergraduate, masters at (and) doctorate studies sa larangan ng agrikultura (in the fields of agriculture), sustainable development, water management engineering and hydrology, architecture and protection of cultural heritage, natural sciences, environmental studies, at iba pang larangan ng interes sa Pilipinas (and other interests of the Philippines),” Duterte, who sits as Education chief in a concurrent capacity, said in a post.

Hungarian Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Titanilla Toth (left) and Vice President Sara Duterte (right) (OVP photo)

The Danish envoy also visited the official to talk about his government’s interest in investments, education, and peace-building.

Mellbin also plans to visit Davao City for their project in agriculture and other investment opportunities, Duterte said.

She also took the opportunity to invite the ambassador to attend the Basic Education Report 2023 by the Department of Education (DepEd) on Jan. 30.

Meanwhile, the British ambassador shared in a tweet her visit to the Vice President’s office.

Sharing two photos, Beaufils said in her post that she visited Duterte to discuss about education.

Vice President Sara Duterte (left) and British Ambassador Laure Beaufils (right) (Photo from Amb. Beaufils via Twitter)

“Great meeting with @indaysara @VPPilipinas. We spoke about @DepEd_PH’s determination to make quality, inclusive, and relevant education available to all Filipino learners and UK’s contribution to this vision. #EducationDay,” she wrote.

#Christian Halaas Lyster

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