Phnom Penh, 23 April 2025 – Philippine Ambassador Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo today signed with Dr. Neak Chandarith, Director of the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy of the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), a landmark Donation Agreement for the establishment of a Philippine Studies Program at the Institute’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS).

The agreement formalizes Philippine Government support for joint academic activities between Philippine research institutions and the RUPP as well as academic exchanges between the Philippines and Cambodia.

Ambassador Mayo recognized Cambodia’s leading research university as a fitting partner of the Philippine Embassy in fostering a deeper understanding of both countries’ common colonial histories, development conditions, and national aspirations. “This pioneering partnership will help enrich academic literature about the Philippines. With a view to bridging knowledge gaps and increasing Philippine representation in academic discourse in Cambodia, the Philippine Embassy takes pride in this significant milestone in our countries’ shared quest for regional peace and stability,” the Philippine Ambassador remarked.

For his part, Dr. Neak Chandarith appreciated the Embassy’s commitment to deepening bilateral academic and cultural ties. “By studying the Philippines, we not only deepen our understanding of a key Southeast Asian nation but also strengthen the bonds that unite our region. This program will serve as a model for academic collaboration, inspiring future initiatives that bridge Cambodia, the Philippines, and beyond,” Dr. Neak stated.  He looked forward to the development of an advanced Philippine Studies Program in the RUPP given that the Philippines’ “strategic position, dynamic socio-political landscape, and contributions to regional frameworks like ASEAN make it a critical subject of study.”

One of the key cultural diplomacy initiatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, implemented through Philippine Embassies abroad, is the establishment of Philippine Studies programs. Cambodia joins 25 other countries where Philippine Studies funded by the Philippine government have been established. END