Latest news with #Lazaro
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Showcase of Filipino food, sport and culture
Kira Azucena. Photo: Philippines Embassy Sports and glamour will feature in a series of events this weekend. Dunedin Filipino Sports will host the South Island Filipino Sports Tournament at venues across the city this weekend. About 500 athletes from Nelson to Invercargill will compete in basketball, volleyball, badminton and billiards. The event, which carries a theme of diversity, passion and unity, is being co-ordinated by Dunedin Filipino Sports president Arvin Lazaro and his wife, Charm Lazaro. Mrs Lazaro said the tournament usually rotates between host cities each year, but a Covid-19 hiatus has kept it out of Dunedin since 2016. After the sporting events wrap up on Sunday, a separate showcase will celebrate the beauty of young women. The Search for Binibining South Island will highlight Filipina beauty. ''Binibining'' means young woman or ''Miss'', and the contest will let participants display a range of outfits and compete in talent and cultural sections. Judges include the Filipino Ambassador to New Zealand, Kira Azucena. Members of Dunedin's Filipino community will perform and Sport Otago's William Hola will give an inspirational talk. The new contest aims to celebrate beauty and weave cultural elements into the programme. ''It is not always about masculinity,'' Mrs Lazaro said. Filipino food stalls will operate at the main venue and members of the public are welcome at all events. @ Events Volleyball and Basketball Edgar Centre 116 Portsmouth Dr Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm Under 23 Basketball Saturday 9am-5pm Caledonian Gymnasium 265 Andersons Bay Rd Billiards Bowey's Pool Lounge 81 Crawford St Saturday 6pm-9pm Badminton Otago Badminton Centre 101 Victoria Rd, St Kilda Saturday 9am-5pm Search for Binibining South Island More FM Arena 116 Portsmouth Dr Sunday 5pm-10pm
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
The Philippines committee to back Timor-Leste's Asean bid, says Foreign Affairs Secretary
MANILA, May 25 (Bernama-PNA): The Philippines will continue supporting Timor-Leste's membership bid to become a regular member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro reaffirmed on Saturday. According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Lazaro, currently the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and Asean Affairs, represented Manila in the Asean Senior Officials' Meeting on May 24 in preparation for the 46th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "We discussed the importance of strengthening Asean centrality while expanding strategic partnerships,' she said on X. "We also committed to supporting Timor-Leste's accession process and contributing to the Asean Community Vision 2045 implementation.' The bloc had granted the young nation observer status and allowed its participation in all of its meetings, including summit plenaries. In a November 2022 statement, the Asean leaders agreed "in principle to admit Timor-Leste to be the 11th member' of the bloc. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said Timor-Leste's accession to the bloc is on the agenda in the coming Asean meetings. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will attend the 46th Asean Summit and Related Meetings in Malaysia on May 26 and 27. Current Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. -- Bernama-PNA
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Timor-Leste's bid to join ASEAN is progressing
KUALA LUMPUR: Timor-Leste's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is progressing, according to the Philippines' Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, though she cautioned that membership is still subject to further consideration. 'I can't speculate, but based on the discussions we've had, I think it's positive,' she said, noting that Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, appears eager to expedite the accession process of Timor-Leste. 'I think also the intention of ASEAN, particularly the chair Malaysia is that it (Timor-Leste) becomes a member the soonest time. Probably it's one of the deliverables for your (their) 'chairship' this year,' she told reporters after the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) here today. However, despite the momentum, Lazaro stated that several issues remain unresolved. 'It's highly speculative. There's still a number of issues and discussions, but I think it's moving,' she said. Timor-Leste, which applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, was granted observer status at high-level meetings in 2022 but is still undergoing evaluation for full integration. According to previous media reports, Singapore had reservations about accepting Timor-Leste into the ASEAN fold due to its modest economic size, fearing it might hinder the realisation of the Asean Economic Community. On the future of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit, which will be held in this year's ASEAN Summit, Lazaro said discussions are ongoing about whether the tradition will continue. 'It's something that is still up for discussion. We'll see how the summit goes,' she said. The SOM is a key preparatory phase ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place from May 26 to 27. The summit will gather leaders from the bloc's member states to discuss regional issues, foster economic cooperation and advance the principles of inclusivity and sustainability. Kuala Lumpur will also concurrently host the second ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Timor-Leste's Asean membership sees positive momentum under Malaysia's chairmanship
KUALA LUMPUR: Timor-Leste's long-awaited admission into Asean under Malaysia's chairmanship is showing positive progress, according to the Philippines' appointed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro. Speaking in a doorstep interview following the Asean Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) here today, Lazaro, however, noted that the membership was still subject to further deliberation. "I cannot speculate, but based on the discussions we have had, the outlook is positive. "I believe it is also Asean's intention, particularly Malaysia, as the chair, for Timor-Leste to become a member in the near future. "This is one of the deliverables under Malaysia's chairmanship this year. However, it remains highly speculative. A number of issues and discussions still need to take place, but it (progress) is moving," she said. Despite having submitted its application over a decade ago, Timor-Leste's path to becoming Asean's 11th member remained uncertain. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan in February this year said Malaysia, as Asean chair for this year, had prioritised expediting Timor-Leste's membership process. ( He also said Timor-Leste could become a full member of Asean by the regional bloc's second summit in October or November this year. Commenting on Malaysia's chairmanship, Lazaro expressed her country's commitment to building on Malaysia's ongoing efforts as Asean Chair, ahead of the Philippines' turn to lead the regional bloc in 2026. She said Manila views its upcoming chairmanship as a significant milestone aligning closely with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's diplomatic agenda. "There are a lot of challenges ahead, but we are taking it as an important role as we are chairing the Asean next year. "It is very important in the agenda of President Marcos that we also build on what Malaysia is doing and we congratulate you on what you have been doing. "We just want to build on what you have done. There are a number of deliverables that you are doing and I think that will be the task that I have to do (continue building momentum)," she said. Lazaro was recently appointed as the new Philippine foreign affairs secretary on Friday, succeeding Enrique Manalo, who has been named the next Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN). She is set to officially assume leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on July 31, pending confirmation by Congress.
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH negotiator to China, ASEAN is new foreign secretary
The Philippines' top negotiator to China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been chosen as the new foreign affairs secretary in a major Cabinet reshuffle ordered by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Maria Theresa Lazaro will assume the post as Marcos' foreign affairs chief, replacing Enrique Manalo, who will return to his former post as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, which he held from 2020 to June 30, 2022 under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Lazaro will take over the helm at the Department of Foreign Affairs on July 31, but she would still go through confirmation proceedings in Congress. A seasoned career diplomat, Lazaro, 66, negotiated a landmark agreement with China on a provisional arrangement for the Philippine delivery of supplies to Filipino forces at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) to prevent a repeat of past confrontations. Signed in July 2024, the agreement that covers Ayungin and seeks to avoid altercations after a violent clash between Philippine Navy special forces and Chinese coast guard personnel on June 17, 2024 at the Philippine-occupied area. Since the forging of the agreement, succeeding resupply missions to the shoal have been peaceful with Chinese ships keeping watch at a distance. As DFA's Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN, Lazaro also leads negotiations for a crucial Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which aims to prevent a major conflict in the disputed waters, called by Manila as the West Philippine Sea. Lazaro, whose career in the foreign service largely focused on crafting Philippine foreign policy, spearheads negotiations for communiques in the ASEAN as the Philippines' representative to the bloc's senior official meetings or SOM. Lazaro retired from the Foreign Service in 2024, but was re-appointed by Marcos. She served multiple times at the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs, including as its assistant secretary. She was also Manila's ambassador to Paris and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. She served as ambassador to Switzerland, consul general to Sydney, and deputy consul general to New York. Early in her diplomatic career, Lazaro served at the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, the Philippine Mission to the UN in Geneva, and the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Maryknoll College and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
