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October 17, 1997

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (hereinafter referred to as "the Parties");

Desirous of strengthening the friendship and understanding between the two countries through cooperation in the realms of art, culture, education, sports, and mass media; and

Recognizing the benefits that may be derived by their peoples from such cooperation;

HAVE AGREED as follows:

ARTICLE I

The Parties shall facilitate and encourage cooperation in the fields of art and culture, education, mass media, journalism and sports, in order to contribute to a better knowledge of their respective cultures and activities in these fields.

ARTICLE II

The Parties shall encourage and facilitate as far as possible:

a) reciprocal visits of professors and exports for delivering lectures, study tours, and conducting special courses;

b) reciprocal visits of representatives of educational, literary, artistic, scientific, technical, sports and journalist associations and organizations, and participation in congresses, conference, symposia, and seminars;

c) exchange of materials in the fields of culture, science, education, sports, translation and exchange of books, periodicals and other educational, scientific, technical, cultural and sports publications, and wherever possible, exchange of art specimen; and

d) reciprocal facilities in regard to visits by archaeologists of one country to the other to enable them to gain experience of excavation as well as, preservation and display of archeological finds and for training purposes, and also in regard to the exchange of specimens of casts.

ARTICLE III

Each Party shall endeavor as far as possible to provide facilities and scholarships to students and scientific personnel of the other country seeking to study in its institutions of higher education and research laboratories.

ARTICLE IV

The Parties shall exchange literature/documentation in an attempt to establish parity of degrees, diplomas and certificates, etc. awarded by Universities and educational institutions in the two countries.

ARTICLE V

Each Party shall endeavor to present different facets of the life and culture of the other party through the media of radio, television, and press. With this end in view, the two Parties shall exchange suitable materials and programmes.

ARTICLE VI

Each Party shall facilitate and promote:

a) the exchange of artists, and dance, music, and theater ensembles;

b) the exchange of art and other exhibitions;

c) the exchange of films, documentaries, radio and television programme recordings and recordings on discs and tapes; and

d) the exchange of experts in the fields of cinematography and participation in each other's International Film Festivals.

ARTICLE VII

The Parties shall encourage visits of sports teams between the two countries and shall facilitate, subject to the national laws and regulations in force, their stay and movement in their respective territories.

ARTICLE VIII

The Parties shall ensure, to the extent possible, that textbooks prescribed for their educational institutions particularly those relating to history and geography, do not contain any error or misrepresentation of facts about each other's country.

ARTICLE IX

Each Party shall welcome the establishment in its territory of a friendship association devoted to educational and cultural pursuits by the other Party, or the Parties jointly, in accordance with its laws, regulations, and general policy in this regard.

ARTICLE X

Any financial arrangement necessary to cover expenses for the implementation of the cooperative activities within the framework of this Agreement shall be agreed upon by the Parties in each individual case. The Parties shall consult to determine how these shall be met.

ARTICLE XI

For the fulfillment of the objectives of the present Agreement, a Joint Committee may be established by the Parties as and when considered necessary consisting of an equal number of representatives of the two Governments, which shall meet as agreed upon between the Parties at the request of other of the Parties alternately in Manila and Vientiane.

The Joint Committee will be responsible for reviewing periodically the working of the present Agreement, advising the Government concerned in formulating and recommending any item of interest to either Party in the fields envisaged in the present Agreement, as also devising the manner in which the working of the Agreement may be improved upon.

ARTICLE XII

The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the later notification by the Parties, through the diplomatic channels, indicating compliance with their respective internal legal procedures for its entry into force. It shall remain in force unless terminated in writing by either Party, through the diplomatic channels, six (6) months prior to the intended date of termination.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representatives of the Parties have affixed their seals thereto.

DONE at Vientiane on the 17th day of October 1997 in four original copies, two each in the English and Lao languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence, the English text shall prevail.