The Philippines and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of environmental protection after a bilateral meeting in Manila on Monday.

Signing the agreement were Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. Cohen later paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

''The agreement will provide opportunities for both Israel and the Philippines to share best practices in addressing common challenges related to the environment, preservation of ecosystems, disaster risk management, and promotion and dissemination of environmental technologies,'' the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Manalo and Cohen held a bilateral meeting to discuss priority areas of cooperation.

“The relationship between the Philippines and Israel is a unique and enduring one, characterized by friendship, goodwill and strong people-to-people ties which predated the founding of the Israeli state,” stated Manalo.

These ties have deep roots, going back to the time when President Manuel Quezon, through his “Open Door Policy”, provided safe haven for an estimated 1,300 Jewish refugees who were fleeing the Nazi regime, the DFA said.

Manalo highlighted the need to expand cooperation in areas such as defense and security, tourism, trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology, and people-to-people ties.

In the context of the geopolitical environment in the Middle East and Asia, the Philippine side emphasized the importance of promoting peace and stability, as well as confidence-building with key partners in these regions. the DFA said. DMS