Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II School of International Studies hosted today the Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister for Bilateral Cooperation and ASEAN Affairs, Theresa Lazaro, in a lecture on "Philippine Foreign Policy." The event drew faculty members from the school and the university.
The lecture opened with an overview of the Philippines, including its geography, demographics, and political system. Lazaro described the country as a democratic republic made up of about 7,000 islands with a population of around 120 million, including 10 million citizens working abroad.
During the session, moderated by the Dean of the School, Professor Hassan Momani, Lazaro spoke about her country’s membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She highlighted the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy: national security, economic security, and the protection of Filipinos and their interests abroad.
She also discussed Philippine-Jordanian bilateral relations, which this year mark 48 years since their establishment. Lazaro noted the volume of economic exchange between the two countries and emphasized the Philippines’ desire to strengthen political and economic cooperation with Jordan to advance mutual interests.
Momani underscored the importance of ASEAN as a regional organization that promotes security and economic growth in Southeast Asia, noting the similarities between the two countries’ diplomatic approaches, both of which aim to create positive influence on the international stage.