Putrajaya, 14 Nov 2024 - Ambassador Maria Angela Ponce paid a courtesy visit to Dato Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture (MOTAC), to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations in the fields of arts, cultural exchanges, and tourism.

Ambassador Ponce highlighted the outcomes the 8th PH-MY Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) held on 15-16 October 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, where both sides agreed to encourage further cooperation through exchanges of tourism promotional initiatives, capacity-building activities, and strengthen collaboration in the promotion and preservation of each other’s cultural heritage. The Ambassador expressed the Philippines’ support for the upcoming ASEAN Chairship of Malaysia and also congratulated MOTAC for their successful hosting of the 11th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (11th AMCA) and the 20th Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts (20th SOMCA) and Related Meetings with Dialogue Partners from 22 - 24 October 2024 in Melaka, Malaysia.

Secretary General Roslan appreciated the updates on the 8th JCM and agreed that more could be achieved in the areas of tourism and cultural exchange and cooperation, especially as Malaysia assumes Chairship of ASEAN in 2025.

Ambassador Ponce was joined by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Kirstoff Gail D. Ocampo, Economic, Cultural, and Information Section Head. Secretary General Rosian was joined by Dr. Yasmeen Yasim, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism), Dr. Christina Yeo, Undersecretary, Mr. Khairolnizam Saad, Senior Principal Assistant Secretary, Mr. Mohd Roslan Abdullah, Director, International Promotion Division, Tourism Malaysia, Nor Aida Ismail, Deputy Director, Tourism Malaysia, and Ms. Shanina Samsuri, Senior Assistant Director, Tourism Malaysia. END