Setia Alam, Selangar, Malaysia February 13, 2024

Your Excellencies from the Malaysian Government, to our SEAMEO Secretariat, to our friends in Malaysia,

Ladies and gentlemen, Assalamualaykum.

Selamat Pagi.

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you for the opportunity to address this distinguished gathering. I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome and hospitality shown to our delegation during this visit to strengthen ties in education, science, and culture between the Philippines and Malaysia.

I am grateful to the Honourable Fadhlina Sidek, Malaysia’s Minister of Education, for our productive conversation earlier, on the critical role of education in a nation’s growth, innovation, and a hopeful future. Thank you for reaffirming our partnership and your continued support to SEAMEO.

We are eager to learn from Malaysia's successful educational strategies and to forge new areas of cooperation and collaboration. We are here to explore the initiatives of the Malaysian Ministry of Education and the SEAMEO Centres, notably SEAMEO RECSAM, SEAMEO SEN, and SEAMEO TROPMED Malaysia. Each center's contributions to shaping inclusive education and tackling unique country-specific as well as regional challenges are invaluable.

I congratulate SEAMEO RECSAM for its forward-thinking science and mathematics programs, like the Space Education Hub and the upcoming Makerspace, envisioned to be a hub for creativity and hands-on learning. These efforts are vital in nurturing future scientists and critical thinkers. Thank you for your commitment to teaching and learning science and mathematics through practical, experiential education.

I also extend my gratitude to SEAMEO SEN for championing inclusive education, ensuring every child receives quality learning opportunities. We always go back to the heart of our vision, which is the learners and all of them. Inclusivity in education is not just a goal but a fundamental right for every child.

Thank you for the training courses, research studies, and technical assistance to SEAMEO Member Countries to ensure that every child has access to quality education, regardless of their abilities or challenges. I also look forward to learning more about the Inclusive Open Educational Resources initiatives, which is particularly promising for enhancing disability-inclusive educational resources and materials.

And finally, to our host, SEAMEO TROPMED Malaysia, your work in providing scholarships and trainings in Southeast Asia, particularly on Microbiology, Parasitology, and Entomology, deserves special praise.

Your initiatives that weave together education and health are not only timely but essential, addressing the core needs of our society at a moment when the synergy between learning and well-being has never been more pivotal. This approach sets a precedent for how we can build resilient communities prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow.

The One Health Initiative by the TROPMED Network exemplifies the critical need to grasp and tackle health matters in the face of emerging societal challenges. Your specialized knowledge not only enhances the well-being of your nation but also casts a positive ripple effect across our entire region. This collaborative effort is a testament to how education and health, when interlinked, can create robust societies equipped for the evolving demands of our global community.

Together, these three centers' expertise supports our shared goal of inclusive, quality education, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goal 4. Their knowledge will help us reach our goals faster, especially in educational and scientific development. They also offer valuable insights for the Philippines in the implementation of our MATATAG Agenda and curriculum.

Making the curriculum relevant is one of our thrusts, and the lessons on science and math teaching from RECSAM can help us achieve this. Further, we will also learn from SEAMEO SEN’s inclusion programmes on how to ensure the well-being of all our learners. TROPMED Malaysia’s initiative will help support the health of our learners and teachers, and establish a safe and healthy learning environment for them.

As we continue to exchange ideas and engage in productive discussions, I hope that we seize the opportunity to build bridges and strengthen the foundations of education between our countries, and the SEAMEO Member Countries.

The collaboration between our Ministries of Education and the SEAMEO Centres will hopefully pave the way for new programmes towards achieving our vision for an innovative, inclusive educational system. I believe that cooperation and collaboration can foster unity and stability for our learners, for our countries, and for the region.

Thank you again for your hospitality. May the power of education and the spirit of united action propel our countries and the region to even greater heights.

Ang lahat ng ating ginagawa ay para sa Diyos, sa bayan at pamilyang Pilipino.

All the things we do is for God, country and family.

Shukran.