Supreme Court E-Library
Information At Your Fingertips

July 29, 1998

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Russian Federation, herein referred to as the Parties,

acting in accordance with the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation, signed on 12 September 1997,

desirous to strengthen cultural ties and friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries,

have agreed on the following Programme of Cultural Cooperation:

I. COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

ARTICLE 1

The Parties shall cooperate in the area of basic, secondary and higher education and vocational training, as well as training and qualification upgrading of the pedagogical staff and specialists and in other educational fields of mutual interest.

ARTICLE 2

The Russian Party shall ensure continuation of education up to full completion in its educational institutions for Philippine citizens enrolled on the basis of the previously signed documents and on the conditions stipulated therein.

ARTICLE 3

The Russian Party shall annually grant a certain number of scholarships for training and qualification upgrading of pedagogical staff and specialists from the Republic of the Philippines in Russian educational institutions with funds provided by the federal budget.

ARTICLE 4

The Parties shall promote direct cooperation between the educational institutions of the two countries in the educational, methodological and scientific research areas, as well as the exchange of schoolchildren, students, post-graduates, trainees, teachers and scientists.

ARTICLE 5

The Parties shall assist the educational institutions of the two countries in their project-oriented research in social and natural sciences and promote joint studies of the history of the civilizations of the partner countries.

The Parties shall assist institutions of general education of the two countries in the exchange of latest publications in educational and methodological literature and provide support in the preparation of international Olympiads on school disciplines.

ARTICLE 6

Attaching great importance to the studies of the Filipino language and literature in the Russian Federation and the Russian language and literature in the Republic of the Philippines, the Parties shall cooperate in the following areas:

provide training in the Filipino and the Russian languages and literature;

upgrading the qualification of teachers;

exchange of publication/materials in educational and methodological literature;

participation in events held by the International Association of Teachers of the Russian Language and Literature.

The Parties shall exchange "Filipino language and literature and "Russian language and literature" students for inclusive studies of up to 10 months and teachers of the Filipino and the Russian languages for linguistic and scientific training courses for up to 10 months.

The number of participants will be subject to mutual written agreement.

ARTICLE 7

With the aim of promoting cooperation between the two countries in the field of education the Parties shall over the specified period exchange delegations of up to three persons each for a period of up to 10 days.

The receiving Party shall cover all the expenses connected with the stay of the delegation of the sending Party including accommodation, meals, medical care and transportation of its territory, while the sending Party shall pay the travel expenses to and from the capital of the partner country.

ARTICLE 8

The receiving Party shall! provide the students, post-graduates and trainees received in accordance with Articles 2, 3 and 7 on a gratis basis with tutoring, textbooks and educational aids with a possibility to undergo educational and vocational practical training envisaged by the curricula, to conduct scientific and research work in accordance with the plan of training and scientific work, to use library materials and scientific and technological documentation and technical equipment and also ensure the possibility of paid lodging and board in students' hostels and medical care in accordance with the effective legislation for the citizens of the receiving Party.

The host institutions shall waive all fees for scholarship grants for any and all admission applications, entrance examination, out-of-state and/or tuition and other school fees.

The Philippine Party shall pay the Russian students, post-graduates and trainees scholarships in the amounts set for Philippine students, post-graduates and trainees; while the Russian Party shall pay for their travel from Moscow to the place of their training and back.

The Russian Party shall pay the Philippine students, post-graduates and trainees scholarships in the amounts set for Russian students, post-graduates and trainees; while the Philippine Party shall pay for their travel from Manila to the place of their training and back.

II. COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE AND ARTS

ARTICLE 9

The Parties shall encourage the exchange of visits of various musical, theatrical, ballet, folklore and artistic groups as well as individual performers to participate in guest performances, festivals and other cultural events.

ARTICLE 10

The Russian Party shall extend an invitation to the Philippine Party to participate in the Third International Musical Festival of the Countries of Asia and the Pacific Region in the city of Krasnoyarsk and to participate in the International Musical Festival "Moscow Autumn" (October 1999).

ARTICLE 11

The Parties shall promote the development of cooperation in the area of fine arts and the exchange of exhibitions, delegations of painters and masters of handicrafts, artistic critics and experts in traditional arts.

ARTICLE 12

The Parties shall promote the establishment of direct ties of cooperation between leading libraries, state archives, educational and scientific institutions, as well as agencies for the protection and restoration of historical and cultural monuments in the two countries among concerned agencies and institutions.

ARTICLE 13

The Parties shall exchange delegations of experts in fine arts, music, folklore and handicrafts, the protection and restoration of monuments, management of libraries, state archives and historical sites and museums, exchange scientific personnel to share experience of the corresponding cultural institutions and to participate in conferences and meetings held in the two countries.

ARTICLE 14

The Parties shall undertake to take measures to prevent illegal importation and transfer of rights of ownership over items of cultural heritage of each of the Parties in accordance with norms of international law and other relevant laws on intellectual property.

ARTICLE 15

The Parties shall contribute to the development of contacts between the Societies of Friendship and Cultural Cooperation of the Russian Federation and the corresponding organizations of the Republic of the Philippines in the interests of strengthening mutual understanding, trust and all-round cooperation.

ARTICLE 16

The Parties shall assist in the exchange of creative writers on a mutual basis. To these ends the Russian Party shall extend an invitation to the Philippine party to take part in the First International Meeting of Literary Experts "Baikal" with the participation of writers and experts in Oriental literature studies from Russia and countries of Asia on the theme of "Interaction of literature and prospects for cultural cooperation at the turn of the century."

III. COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF MASS-MEDIA

In the following exchanges, the Parties shall agree to observe international law and norms in intellectual property.

ARTICLE 17

The Parties shall promote the all-round development of cooperation in the area of television and radio broadcasting, including the production of joint television and radio programmes, the exchange of television and radio programmes, musical recordings on themes reflecting various aspects of life, culture, science and sports in the two countries as well as the exchange of materials for children, youth, journalists, and information officers.

ARTICLE 18

The Parties shall promote the development of cooperation between information telegraph agencies of the two countries. And in this connection ITAR-TASS expresses its readiness to renew cooperation with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in the area of information and to hold negotiations with the aim of signing a bilateral agreement.

ARTICLE 19

The Parties shall encourage direct ties between the publishing houses of the two countries and render assistance in translating and publishing literary works of the other partner country.

ARTICLE 20

The Parties shall promote the participation of interested organizations of the Republic of the Philippines and of the Russian Federation in international book fairs to be held on the territories of their countries during the period of duration of the Plan. With these aims in mind, the Russian Party shall provide the Philippine Party with information on the dates and conditions of the regular Moscow International Book Fairs, whereas the Philippine Party shall provide the Russian Party with the corresponding information on similar events to be held in the Republic of the Philippines.

ARTICLE 21

The Parties shall promote cooperation on a mutual basis in the areas of cinematography through:

exchanging films, cinematographic works and new films with the invitation of delegations of cinematographers;

rendering assistance in the joint production of feature, documentary and animation films;

establishing direct contacts between film makers of the two countries;

assisting the participation of the Parties in film festivals held on the territories of their countries, including the Moscow International Film Festival in 1999.

exchange of academic faculty in the areas of film and journalism.

ARTICLE 22

The Parties shall promote the establishment and development of professional contacts in the field of archives and between the corresponding archive agencies of the Philippines and Russia.

The Parties shall promote reasonable mutual access to archives and exchange of reproductions of documentary materials which are not confidential in nature.

IV. YOUTH, SPORTS AND WOMEN

ARTICLE 23

The Parties shall promote the development of cooperation between youth organizations of the two countries.

ARTICLE 24

The Parties shall develop contacts in the area of physical culture and sports, between sports organizations, federations of various sports disciplines, associations and clubs by way of exchanging visits of sports delegations, coaches and experts.

Specific conditions and forms of cooperation will be regulated by agreements and arrangements between the interested organizations.

ARTICLE 25

The Parties shall create necessary conditions for developing cooperation between women's organizations of both countries, such as:

organizing national and international fora-congresses, conferences and seminars that deal with the growth (upliftment) and improvement of women status whether personal and/or professional;

establishing cooperation in all fields between women organizations of both countries;

facilitating the exchange of women leaders and experts in training programs, lectures, and seminars in areas of endeavors traditionally dominated/assigned to men such as engineering and metallurgy, architecture, archeology, public administration, global governance, and other fields;

establishing friendship associations devoted to women of various age brackets.

V. GENERAL ARTICLES AND PROGRAMME SUPPORT

ARTICLE 26

The Parties have agreed that, by a mutual arrangement, other additional events can be held, which meet the goals and purposes of the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation, even if they are not envisaged in the present Programme.

In case an issue arises of introducing any amendments into the Programme within the period of its duration, such issue shall be resolved through consultations between the interested agencies and organizations of the two countries.

All research outputs, discussion proceedings and/or inventions/innovations produced by virtue of and pursuant to the Agreement shall be jointly owned by the receiving and sending parties. The personnel involved in the collaborative undertakings shall be subject further to the two parties' Policies, Rules and Regulations Governing Copyright and Patentable Works.

The two parties reserve the right to use all data and findings within reasonable limits by virtue of and pursuant to this Programme, for the enhancement of their academic and research programs.

ARTICLE 27

The financial terms and other conditions connected with the implementation of the present Plan shall be agreed upon by an arrangement between the corresponding agencies and organizations of the two countries on a mutual basis.

ARTICLE 28

The present Programme shall enter into force on the date of later notification by the Parties, through diplomatic channels, indication that the domestic requirements for its entry into force have been complied with.

This Programme is signed in Manila on 29 July 1998 in two copies, each in the Filipino, English and the Russian languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of conflict of interpretation the English text will take precedence.