PH Amb to Spain headlines 4th UST Ambassadors Lecture Series
CONSISTENT with the evolving intricacies of intergovernmental relations today, Philippine Ambassador to Spain H.E. Carlos Salinas discussed the heightened impact of the dynamics of foreign relations to local economies in the University of Santo Tomas’ ( UST) Ambassadors Lecture Series at the Paredes Building, University of Santo Tomas, Manila.
A graduate of the UST College of Commerce and Business Administration in 1955 and a pioneer in the development of the country’s maritime industry, Ambassador Salinas delivered a lecture on “The World Beyond our Shores: A Perspective on Globalization and the Philippines” attended by students, faculty members and administrators. The event, which is the fourth in the series, was opened by UST Rector Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P.
Throughout his career, Salinas headed and served numerous international maritime associations, including serving as vice president of the International Shipping Federation of London for 16 years. He was also the chairman of the Federation of ASEAN Shipowners Association.
In 1992, His Majesty King Harald V of Norway conferred upon Ambassador Salinas the Royal Order of Merit (rank of commander) for his outstanding contributions to the growth of the PhilippineNorwegian maritime relations. He also received a Lifetime Achievement and Leadership Excellence Award from the Lloyd’s Ship Manager of London and was a finalist for the 2009 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Ambassador Salinas was granted the status of “Honorary Fellow” by the Diplomatic Academy of Spain in 2015 in recognition of his exemplary and extraordinary work as Philippine Ambassador. He was also invested as a member of the Real Hermandad de Caballeros de San Fernando (Royal Brotherhood of Knights of Saint Fernando) within his first year in service as Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra in 2010.
The Ambassador’s expertise in mari-
Rev. Fr. Jesus M. Miranda, Jr., O.P. UST Secretary- General (far left) and Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., UST Rector (far right) with the panel of reactors: Atty. Nilo T. Divina, Faculty of Civil Law Dean; Assoc. Prof. Karen Santiago, Office of International Relations and Programs Associate Director; and Prof. Allan B. de Guzman, College of Education Dean.
Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., UST Rector ogether with Rev. Fr. Jesus M. Miranda, Jr., O.P. UST Secretary- General awards certificate of appreciation to H.E. Carlos Salinas, Ambassador of the Philippines to Spain. time relations was fortified by his membership in various international organizations, including the Norwegian Maritime Foundation (president) and the United Nation’s World Maritime University in Sweden (member, board of governors). From 1996 to 2010, Ambassador Salinas was the private sector representative of the Philippine Tripartite Delegation to the International Labour Organization in Geneva for the formulation of the Consolidated Maritime Labor Convention.
The academic lecture was also attended by UST Secretary General Fr. Jesús M. Miranda, Jr., O.P., Public Affairs Director Assoc. Prof. Giovanna Fontanilla, and Commerce Dean Dr. Leonardo Canoy. A panel of reactors was composed of Civil Law Dean Atty. Nilo T. Divina, Education Dean Dr. Allan de Guzman, and International Relations and Programs Deputy Director Dr. Karen Santiago.
The University’s premier chorale and three-time recipient of the Ani ng Dangal Award for International Achievement in Music and the Arts - world-renowned UST Singers also serenaded Ambassador Salinas, who paved the way for the group’s concert in Spain held in 2012.
An artwork called “Fusion,” which was specially commissioned for the lecture series and made by Olympic artist Joe Datuin, was given to the ambassador as UST’s token of gratitude.
The UST Ambassadors Lecture Series
The UST Ambassadors Lecture Series had its first lecture was delivered by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of France to the Philippines Mr. Laurent Legodec on April 16, 2015. The topic was “The Efforts of France towards COP21: A Commitment to Fight Climate Change.” He shared the efforts and strategies formulated and implemented by France in its pursuit of eradicating the passive effects of climate change. Following the lecture was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on academic partnership and collaboration between UST and the Catholic University of Lille in France.
The second lecture featured Vice Chancellor Francis Campbell of St. Mary’s University in London, the oldest Catholic university in the United Kingdom. He is also the Head of the Policy Unit of the London Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and once served as the British Ambassador to the Holy See. Campbell discussed the “Church and the Modern World.” The lecture was held on April 18, 2016. After the lecture, UST and St. Mary’s formalized an academic partnership, establishing UST as St. Mary’s “central partner” in the Asia Pacific Region and one of its six global partners.
Focusing on international affairs and public policy, the American Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Philip S. Goldberg held a dialogue with Thomasian students at the 3rd Ambassadors Lecture held on April 27, 2016. A panel of reactors composed of UST Graduate School Dean Marilu R. Madrunio, Faculty of Civil Law faculty member Atty. Enrique de la Cruz, and Arts and Letters Student Council president Jan Dominic Castro interacted with the Ambassador.