GOVPH

MANILA-BOUND INDIAN SECURITY STUDIES DELEGATION ORIENTED ON INTENSIFIED PH-INDIA TIES AT PRE-DEPARTURE CALL ON AMBASSADOR

 NEW DELHI— A Manila-bound 16-person delegation from the National Defence College of India (NDC) were oriented on intensifying ties between the Philippines and India, including in the security sphere, during their pre-departure call on the Philippine Embassy on 17 May.

Led by Major General Samarth Nagar, SDS (Army III), the delegation consisted of senior officials from the Armed Forces and Civil Services of India, as well as guest Armed Forces officials from Nigeria, Nepal, Brazil, and South Africa, who are enrolled in the NDC’s 64^th annual course on National Security and Strategic Studies.

The visit to the Philippines is part of the 47-week course’s Foreign Countries Study Tour (FCST) segment that provides opportunities for interaction with host country officials and visits to civil, military, industrial, administrative and financial agencies.

 The NDC delegation was warmly received by Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio and his team. The Ambassador lauded the Philippine visit as a further manifestation of intensified overall defense and security engagement between the two countries.

Military education and training exchanges have also picked up pace, mirroring the perceptible enhancement of overall engagement.

Third Secretary Melissa Anne Telan delivered a presentation on Philippines-India relations that captured the essence of burgeoning ties and highlighted recent key milestones and gains in the relationship, which turns 75 years old this year.

An open forum moderated by Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Rolando P. Gomez saw Ambassador Ignacio field questions from NDC delegates on regional developments of shared import and concern to the two countries.

The annual NDC Course focuses on national security within the domestic, regional and international context, and instructs participants on the economic, political, military, scientific and organizational aspects of national strategy planning.

“We are resolved to see the continued cross-germination of perspectives via exchanges between our security experts and students”, said Ambassador Ignacio. “We will work to encourage enrollment in our countries’ respective national security programs”. The Philippines has a similar offering in the Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program of the National Defense College of the Philippines.

NDC delegation head Major General Nagar thanked the Embassy for the informative program, warm hospitality and visa assistance extended to the delegation by the Embassy. END

COMELEC Commissioner Inting leads PH Team Invited by India to Observe General Elections

NEW DELHI, 10 May — Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Socorro B. Inting was in India from 03 May to 09 May to lead a COMELEC delegation in observing the ongoing multi-phase elections taking place across India.

The COMELEC officials were part of a group of 75 foreign election officials from 23 countries invited by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under its International Election Visitors’ Programme to observe the ongoing polls to elect the members of India’s 543-seat lower house, the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

With about 970 million voters spread across the subcontinent’s 28 states and 8 union territories, India’s elections are scheduled in seven phases lasting from 19 April to 01 June, in the world’s largest electoral exercise.

A day after arriving in New Delhi, Commissioner Inting, COMELEC Director Celia B. Romero and Executive Assistant Ms. Leslie Ann C. Conquilla were received by Philippine Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio on a courtesy call and a welcome luncheon.

The foreign election observers were spread by the ECI to observe polling in selected constituencies on May 7 -- phase 3 of the election calendar covering 94 constituencies in 10 States and two Union Territories.

Commissioner Inting and team were paired with the eight-person delegation from Sri Lanka. They observe elections in Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh State.

In Bhopal on 06-08 May, they visited the voting material distribution center and observed the conduct of polling. The Philippine and Sri Lankan teams were accompanied by Joint Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Khatri, Collector and District Election Officer Kaushalendra Vikram Singh, CEO District Panchayat Rituraj Singh.

They were briefed on the election process as and key elements and processes of the exercise, the electronic voting machine (EVM), the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). polling team formation, and voting material distribution, monitoring and security. A debriefing meeting was held before the team returned to New Delhi on 09 May. Commissioner Inting and team flew back to Manila the same day. END

International Solar Alliance Chief receives Philippine Ambassador, briefs Embassy on solar energy programs

DG Mathur and team briefs Ambassador Ignacio and Embassy Team on ISA’s various programs

Gurugram, HARYANA — On the invitation of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio was received by the organization’s Director General Dr. Ajay Mathur on 09 May at the ISA Secretariat’s Headquarters within the National Institute of Solar Energy Campus Gwal Pahari in Gurugram, Haryana.

Accompanied by Third Secretary Mark Anthony P. Dizon, Attaché Rogelio B. Silva, Jr., and Rina Isabel P. De Chavez, the Ambassador received a comprehensive briefing by the Director General himself on the ISA’s mandate, membership, work programs and ongoing initiatives with member states.

The ISA describes itself as “an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries.”

The ISA was jointly conceived by India and France in 2015 to mobilize solar energy solutions in support of efforts to battle climate change. All United Nations member states are eligible to join. it currently has 98 full member states. END

DG Mathur welcoming Amb. Ignacio and team to the ISA Secretariat Headquarters.