Photo courtesy of Sen. Villanueva
MANILA, Philippines — Some Philippine senators are now in France to meet and discuss with their counterparts how to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.
The senators who embarked on the five-day official visit were Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senators JV Ejercito, Manuel Lapid, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Christopher Lawrence Go.
The senators’ activities, including briefings, in France will be from October 23 to 27.
“This meeting is an opportune time for us to assess our country’s strong ties with the French Republic and discuss how we can foster our friendship and cooperation, especially on areas that concern both the Philippines and France,” Legarda said in a statement on Tuesday.
Among the issues that would be tackled, Legarda said, are issues relating to the environment.
“Our visit to France is a chance for the Philippines to convey our vision, plans, and involvement in addressing global challenges such as climate change.
“Our country fully recognizes France’s steady allegiance to be a global leader in addressing the issue, and we are fully committed to supporting the Paris Agreement,” she said.
The Paris Agreement or the Paris Climate Accord is an international climate change treaty adopted by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change members in 2015.
Also part of the Philippine delegation’s agenda is its cooperation with France on various areas such as economy, defense, food security, and people-to-people relations.
The Philippine delegation will likewise meet with the France-Southeast Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group led by its president Senator Mathieu Darnaud.