REPRESENTATIVE MARIA RACHEL ARENAS HIGHLIGHTS PH LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN MOROCCO

Representative Maria Rachel Arenas (second from right) speaks at the Spring Meeting of the Paris Peace Forum in Ben Guerir, Morocco

Rabat, 12 June 2024 - Chairperson of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Representative Maria Rachel Arenas, participated in the Spring Meeting of the Paris Peace Forum held at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir, Morocco on 10 June 2024.

As one of the speakers at the panel entitled Global Election Year 2024 and implications on “Fair Transitions”: A View from Parliaments, Representative Arenas shared the legislative priorities of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., giving special mention to the Maritime Zones Bill.

During the open forum, Representative Arenas took the opportunity to reiterate the Philippines’ adherence to the rules-based international order and to the primacy of the 2016 Arbitral Award. She also thanked like-minded countries for supporting the Philippines on this issue.

Representative Arenas joins the June 12 flag raising ceremony of the Philippine Embassy in Rabat

After attending the Spring Meeting, Representative traveled to the capital Rabat to attend the June 12 independence day celebration of the Philippine Embassy and to  meet with her counterparts in the Moroccan House of Representatives: Ms. Salma Benaziz, Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Mustapha Toutou, President of the Morocco-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Representative Salma Benaziz (left) welcomes Representative Arenas and Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja

Representative Mustapha Toutou (left) welcomes Representative Arenas and Ambassador Baja

During her meetings at the Moroccan Parliament, Representative Arenas began by sharing that her visit to Morocco came at an auspicious time since the Philippines and Morocco were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year. She invited her Moroccan counterparts to visit the Philippines and thanked them for their good treatment of the 5,000 Filipinos who call Morocco home.

Representative Arenas was joined by Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja, First Secretary and Consul Rapunzel Acop and Committee on Foreign Affairs Secretary Jonalyn Villasante.

Established in 2018, the Paris Peace Forum aims to bring together decision- and policy-makers, stakeholders and experts to discuss current global challenges. The theme for this year’s meeting is “fair transitions” in four areas: climate finance and development; energy and transition minerals; sustainable food and nutrition systems; and global health. END