The Senate adopted a resolution on Tuesday creating the Philippines-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Association promoting relations between the two countries.
The association will promote regular discussions on matters of mutual interest between the two countries, said Senator Richard Gordon, who introduced Senate Resolution 757.
“Israel is a developed country known for its high-technology designs and manufactures, and is considered as the start-up nation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even announced that it aspires to be the world’s 15th largest economy by 2015,” Gordon said in a statement.
“Israel’s diverse market economy which includes agricultural, service, tourism, high-technology, textiles, and diamond sectors will support the Philippines’ fast-growing economy,” he added.
According to the resolution, on January 5, 2017, former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III invited Israel’s Knesset Parliament to send a delegation to the Philippines to promote closer ties between the two countries.
Knesset Deputy Speaker Nava Boker granted the establishment of Philippines-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Association on April 24, 2018, the resolution stated.
History of PH-Israel ties
Under the Commonwealth Government led by former President Manuel Quezon, an “open door policy” was established, offering refuge to 1,300 European Jews escaping the Holocaust in Europe.
In 1947, the Philippines was one of the 33 countries to vote in favor of the United Nations Resolution 181 that defined the partition of Palestine and established the State of Israel.
The Philippines and Israel have over 60 years of diplomatic relations, officially established on August 9, 1957.
They have forged bilateral agreements in various fields, such as air services, agriculture, tourism, double taxation, posts and telecommunications, customs and logistics, and defense.
“Strengthened relations between the two nations will promote closer relations between Filipino and Israeli parliamentarians and, at the same time, help sustain the robust bilateral ties and strategic relationship between the two nations,” Gordon said.
Gordon also noted that an increasing number of Filipino agriculture students are learning new techniques in farming under the Granot Agrostudies, an apprenticeship program in Israel.
As of December 2017, a total of 3,315 Filipino student-trainees have graduated from the program.
— Syrah Vivien Inocencio/INQUIRER.net Intern