Daily TribuneEducation is a bridge that connects the Philippines and the United Kingdom, one that grows and strengthens every day.
Robert Alfiler/PNA Once upon a time First Lady of Japan Yuko Kishida (right) visited the Nihongo Center Foundation in Makati, where she observed an intermediate-level Japanese class and interacted with the students in Japanese. A heartwarming exchange occurred between Kishida and the students, who enthusiastically asked her light-hearted questions. The Nihongo Center Foundation was established in 1992 by former Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose S. Laurel III and is a core institution for Japanese language education in the Philippines. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife’s recent high-level visit to the Philippines demonstrates an even stronger relationship between the Philippines and Japan, which, he said, is now at the golden age.
The British Council in the Philippines and the embassy in Manila hosted the 2023 UK Alumni Soiree on 23 October at British Ambassador Laure Beaufils' residence.
In line with Philippine-British Friendship Day, the event gathered nearly 200 Filipino UK alumni across the country to celebrate the achievements of British education and the enduring bilateral relations between the UK and the Philippines.
Beaufils: "Education shapes who we are and it shapes the future of our societies. It increases intercultural understanding and breaks down stereotypes. It supports the values we hold dear — equality, respect, and fairness — and gives us the tools to deliver on them. And, of course, education creates life-long friendships. Education is a bridge that connects the Philippines and the United Kingdom. I am proud that this bridge is growing and strengthening every day."
The UK has long hosted many Filipinos looking to pursue further tertiary education. In 2021 and 2022, UK study visa issuance for Filipinos have surpassed pre-pandemic figures. Under the prestigious Chevening scholarship, 565 Filipinos have received bursaries to study in the UK since the program's founding in 1984.
"Many Filipinos who have made marks on their careers are alumni of UK universities. Recognizing the role education plays as a cornerstone and catalyst toward lasting national development, the British Council has supported the fellowship of some Filipinos in UK universities, and the last few years has sent around 75 TNE and ten Newton Agham PhD scholars with the support of government partners. The Philippines is a wellspring of changemakers, and we are committed to supporting these talents and endeavors, and all the ways in which it has nurtured the bonds between the Philippines and the UK," shared Lotus Postrado, country director of the British Council in the Philippines.
Live performances, art showcases and a short film screening featuring select alumni highlighted the event.
It also welcomed the country's inaugural edition of the Study UK Alumni Awards. Launched in 2014, the Alumni Awards recognizes and honors the outstanding achievements of individuals who have enrolled at or have received a qualification awarded by a UK Higher Education Institution within the last 15 years.
British Chamber executive director Chris Nelson: "This event signifies the ever-growing relations of the Filipino and British community through cultural and educational exchanges with the help of the British Embassy and the British Council. I believe that the increasing number of Filipino UK alumni will leverage the Philippines' growth by exploring a variety of insights and trade avenues that will lead to a vibrant economy which attracts foreign investors through a more enhanced educational sector and workforce which is in line with the British Chambers' advocacies."
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