Vientiane, 10 March 2022 — Philippine Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, H.E. Deena Joy D. Amatong, called on H.E. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, today at the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the call, Foreign Minister Saleumxay noted the contributions of Filipinos to Laos which started with Operation Brotherhood. He mentioned that the Filipino community in Laos was “one of the biggest” from among the ASEAN countries and that Filipinos were known for being “outstanding skilled workers” in the education, engineering, mining and hospitality sectors. 

Ambassador Amatong welcomed these remarks and thanked Foreign Minister Saleumxay for his country’s good treatment of the Filipino community. 

Ambassador Amatong, who took her post in December 2021, promised to work with Laos as it transitions into a Middle-Income Country by building on the contributions of Filipinos to Laos’ socio-economic development through people-to-people and economic exchanges.      

The Philippines and Laos established bilateral relations on 14 January 1955. Operation Brotherhood was a Filipino-led initiative which provided medical assistance and community development projects to Lao nationals from 1957 to 1975. Today, there are around 2,000 Filipinos in Laos, most of whom are professionals working in the education, engineering, mining and hospitality industries.END 

H.E. Deena Joy Amatong, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, presents a token to H.E. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR (Photo courtesy of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

From L-R: Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jorge Philippe Arjona, First Secretary and Consul Rapunzel Acop, Ambassador Deena Joy Amatong, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Director General of the Asia, Pacific and Africa Department Viroth Sundara, Deputy Director General of the Press Department Bounmy Vanmany, Deputy Permanent Secretary Soukkhanxay Archkhavong (Photo courtesy of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs)