TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines announced it will offer 50 full scholarships for students from Cagayan Province who would like to study agriculture in Taiwan.
Cagayan Province is located in northern Luzon, along the southern portion of the Bashi Channel. The announcement of goodwill from Taiwan towards the province was made on Wednesday (Feb. 22) by Wallace Chow (周民淦), Taiwan’s representative in the Philippines.
Chow was speaking at an event held by the Cagayan Farm School and Agri-Tourism Center in Amulung, reported PNA. The scholarships will be made available for students through the Filipino Young Farmers Internship Program in Taiwan, which is jointly founded by agencies from Taiwan and the Philippines.
Applicants from Cagayan Province can apply for four-year degree programs or an 11-month program designed to give them enough experience and knowledge to begin a career in agriculture.
Speaking at the event, Chow said, “Taiwan and the Philippines are naturally close. They can hear the Taiwanese song in the upper part. See how close we are. So, we should not only be relatives but should be the best partner in the world,” reported PNA.
The governor of Cagayan, Manuel Mamba, expressed his gratitude to Taiwan for the scholarship opportunities. “I'm so glad you came here and showed your interest in us to promote exchanges. That is why I always say, we don't have enemies, we only have friends because we believe that we have a community of nations; we could be part of international trade,” per PNA.
Observers noted that in the event of a potential blockade or invasion of Taiwan by China, the Bashi Channel could be instrumental for allies to provide material support to Taiwan. By offering scholarships and exchanges with Cagayan Province, Taiwan is promoting goodwill in what could be a critical region in the decade ahead.
For more information on the scholarships, prospective applicants should contact the Agricultural Training Center of the Philippines Department of Agriculture.
