The National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) held the face-to-face Commencement Exercises of the pioneer class of the English Language Course (ELC), a program initiated by the Philippines as part of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Wide Education and Training Exchanges (AETE) Program on 07 October 2022.

A total of thirteen military officers and civilian personnel from Ministry of Defense from five (5) ASEAN member states completed the first-ever English Language Course. The ELC 2022 was composed of one participant from Brunei, two participants from Cambodia, three participants from Indonesia, four participants from Lao PDR, and three participants from Thailand.

During the closing ceremony, Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for Strategic Assessment and Planning Ignacio B Madriaga was the Guest of Honor and speaker representing Senior Undersecretary Jose C Faustino Jr, the DND Officer-in-Charge. Usec Madriaga extended his warmest congratulations to the ELC participants and expressed his appreciation for the unequivocally positive testimonies regarding the course. He likewise accentuated the importance of learning the English language as the working language of the ASEAN.

He also acknowledged the contribution of the NDCP to the success of the Language training program through the leadership of Lieutenant General Ferdinand M Cartujano PAF (Ret) the President, and the entire ELC staff for the success of the firs-ever English Language Course.

Also in attendance were the three ASEAN member-states ambassadors to the Philippines, His Excellency Phan Peuv (Cambodia), His Excellency Agus Widjojo (Indonesia) and His Excellency Tull Traisorat (Thailand) along with Mr Phetsamone Souliyavong, First Secretary of Laos and Mr Khairul Hazwan Mohd Nor, the Second Secretary of Brunei. The four defense attaches from Brunei, Indonesia, Laos and Thailand also graced the event