September, a reminder of what truly matters

DIPLOMATIC POUCH

- MASSIMO SANTORO

September is a special month in the Philippines. Not just for the start of the long festive season but for many reasons. In September, we celebrate Education Week. This month marks also the Rule of Law Month. In its second week, we commemorate the World Global Clean and Green Week (Sept. 17-23). These three initiatives symbolize concern for the future and are particularly close to both the EU's and the Philippines' hearts.

Strengthening connectivity through education Education has been one of our pillars in the EU-Philippines Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Our Erasmus+ scholarship and mobility program fosters intercultural understanding through cooperation with third countries like the Philippines. It also gives Filipino students and academics the opportunity to learn and exchange experiences in Europe through local initiatives that support civic, digital and climate education. This is crucial for the EU, as only an informed society can address global challenges and make informed decisions for the future.

On average, we have a total of 60-70 Filipino Erasmus scholarship holders who have embarked on joint master's degrees. I had the pleasure of meeting some of them. They have completed their master's and doctoral degrees with distinction and are now recognized professionals in their fields. Between 2021 and 2025, 1,132 Filipinos have benefited from Erasmus+, including international mobility (students and staff), Erasmus Joint Master's Degrees and Erasmus Mundus scholarships. The Ateneo de Manila University also benefited from the Jean Monnet Program, which enabled it to offer joint, double and multiple degrees in the country.