Supreme Court E-Library
Information At Your Fingertips

November 08, 2002

The Republic of the Philippines and the Portuguese Republic (hereinafter referred to as “The Parties”),

Desirous of strengthening the friendly ties existing between their two countries, and of promoting and developing their relations in the fields of culture, art, education, sports, youth and mass media,

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1
AIMS OF THE AGREEMENT

The Parties shall promote better understanding and closer communication and cooperation between their two peoples and the development of mutual relations in the fields of culture, art, education, sports, youth and mass media through:

a) Exchange of scholars, teachers, non-teaching staff, students, researchers and administrators;

b) Creation of language training and translation courses focusing on literary and artistic works;

c) Dissemination of their respective literatures in the other country;

d) Mutual visits of writers, painters, musicians, dancers and other artists and encourage their activities or performances;

e) Encouraging cooperation among governmental and non-governmental sports organizations, on the exchange of trainers or athletic coaches and sports researchers, and on exchanges as regards participation, scholarships and sports information;

f) Exchange of information and other documentation concerning youth policies and programs in both countries and encouraging cooperation between institutions and organizations;

g) Encouraging direct cooperation between the media organizations of each country, responsible for the press, radio and television fields, particularly those involved in public service activities, so as to promote reciprocal exchange of materials and visits within their specific scope;

h) Encouraging art exhibitions, cultural presentations and film festivals;

i) Exchange of experts in the field of restoration and preservation of cultural heritage;

j) Attendance in congresses, conferences and seminars; and

k) Other ways and means upon which the Parties may agree.

ARTICLE 2
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS

Both Parties shall exchange information and documentation about their educational systems.

ARTICLE 3
EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION

1. To foster educational cooperation, each Party shall place particular emphasis on academic exchanges and reciprocal access to elementary, secondary and higher education institutions, research units, libraries, archives and other similar establishments.

2. To this end, programs for study and research scholarships as well as the exchange of students, teachers, professors, school administrators and researchers shall be established.

3. The setting up of secondary and higher education centers offering integrated courses or programs of studies that are academically valid in both countries will likewise be promoted.

4. The establishment of inter-university cooperation, aiming at jointly offering academic courses and programs of studies that are valid in both countries shall also be implemented.

ARTICLE 4
CERTIFICATION OF EQUIVALENCES

1. The Parties shall devise the methods and conditions on which degrees, diplomas and other certificates acquired in one Party may be recognized by the other Party for academic purposes.

2. The determination of equivalence for studies, qualifications and academic years will be facilitated for the purpose of recognition and validation.

ARTICLE 5
SETTING UP OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

Each Party shall facilitate the establishment, in its territory, of cultural institutions of the other Party in accordance with its applicable laws and regulations in force. The term “cultural institutions” shall include cultural and language centers/schools, libraries and other organizations, whose aims correspond to the purposes of the present Agreement.

ARTICLE 6
PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

Each Party shall promote the recovery of its common historical memory through joint research and by encouraging the protection, conservation, preservation and restoration of both countries’ historical and cultural heritage in accordance with their respective legislations.

ARTICLE 7
ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF CULTURAL GOODS

The Parties shall ensure that measures to prohibit illegal trafficking of works of art, documents and other objects of historical or archaeological value are adopted.

ARTICLE 8
JOINT COMMISSION

1. The negotiations necessary to implement the present Agreement shall be conducted through a Joint Commission, the members of which shall be appointed by the respective Governments and to which appointed experts can be added.

2. The Joint Commission shall meet at the request, through diplomatic channels, of either of the two Parties, to study questions concerning the implementation of the present Agreement.

ARTICLE 9
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

This Agreement shall not in any way prejudice the rights and obligations provided for in existing and future bilateral and multilateral agreements and shall have no effect on the rights and obligations of the Parties derived from such agreements or other international Treaties to which they are or shall be a party.

ARTICLE 10
ENTRY INTO FORCE

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the reception of the last written notification by the Parties through diplomatic channels, indicating compliance with their respective domestic legal requirements for its entry into force.

ARTICLE 11
VALIDITY AND DURATION

1. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of five (5) years and shall be automatically renewed for successive periods of five (5) years unless one of the Parties officially notifies, with a six (6) months notice, the other Party, in writing, of its desire to suspend or terminate it, through diplomatic channels.

2. Notwithstanding the termination of the present Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Article 11, any program of exchange, arrangement or project which has been concluded, but which has not been completed, shall remain valid.

ARTICLE 12
AMENDMENTS

This Agreement may be mutually amended by the Parties. These amendments shall enter into force in accordance with the provisions of Article 10 of this present Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed the present Agreement.

Done in Manila on the 8^th day of November, 2002, in duplicate in the Pilipino, Portuguese and English languages, all texts being equally authentic.