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DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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SFA-AGR-PS079-06 17 July 2006
ON
THE OCCASION OF THE
FAREWELL LUNCHEON IN HONOR OF
H.
E. JOĆO JOSÉ CAETANO DA SILVA,
AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL to the Philippines
ILUSTRADO
RESTAURANT, intramuros
14 JULY 2006
His
Excellency Ambassador da Silva;
His Excellency Ambassador Filoni, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;
Her Excellency Ambassador Resch of Finland, the President of the European Union;
Excellencies;
Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you
for joining me today in honoring and bidding farewell to a good friend of the
Filipino people, His Excellency Ambassador Joćo José Caetano da Silva.
On behalf
of the government and people of the Republic of the Philippines, I wish to
extend my most sincere appreciation to Your Excellency for actively contributing
to the enhancement of the friendly ties between the Philippines and Portugal,
making them more vibrant and dynamic than ever.
During your
five-year stay in the Philippines, you tirelessly committed your time and effort
in ensuring that the special relations existing between our countries would
further flourish, particularly through economic and cultural cooperation.
Early on in your mission
in the Philippines, you facilitated the convening of the successful RP-Portugal
Political Consultations in November 2002 that also led to the signing of
important bilateral agreements on culture and investments.
These significant
milestones in our relations opened the doors to closer cooperation in the fields
of culture, art, education, sports, youth and mass media.
Your untiring efforts have
also greatly contributed to advancing trade relations between our countries.
With the RP-Portugal Investments Agreement in place, I am confident that the
Philippines will see more investments from Portugal.
Portugal's desire to
deepen and enhance its relations with the Philippines was clearly and strongly
manifested during the visit of Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, Joćo Gomes Cravinho in December 2005, an accomplishment in which Your
Excellency played an instrumental role.
Even as Your Excellency
remained forward looking, you also demonstrated a keen passion for our shared
past, as shown by the publication of seven books on Philippine-Portugal
historical ties and the rehabilitation of the Magellan Cross in Cebu.
Portugal
readily co-sponsored and supported the ASEM Oceans Technical Working Group
Meeting in March 2006. Our joint cooperation in this meaningful endeavor will
ensure the protection of our oceans and marine resources from further
environmental degradation so that future generations may continue to enjoy their
beauty and bounty. I hope,
Excellency, that even when you are already in Venezuela, we continue to pursue
this very important oceans initiative between Portugal and the Philippines. We owe it not only to our peoples, but to the peoples of the
world.
As you take on the
responsibilities and challenges of your new assignment as Portuguese Ambassador
to Venezuela, please bring with you the friendship and goodwill of the Filipino
people.
You will be truly missed
especially by those whose lives you touched with your dedication and commitment
to strengthening the ties between our countries. Let me say however that
Manila's loss is certainly the gain of Caracas.
On this note, may I invite everyone to join me in a toast:
to the good health and success of
our good friend, Ambassador Joćo José Caetano da Silva, and to the enduring
friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Portugal.
Mabuhay!
END
/jay
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