Professional Regulation Commission Chairperson Teresita R. Manzala was unanimously nominated by the ASEAN participating delegations as Chairperson of the ASEAN Task Force on the National Qualifications Framework meeting in Bangkok, Thailand from October 30 until November 1 under the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area program.

The ASEAN delegations cited Chairperson Manzala’s key role as the lead negotiator for the ASEAN mutual recognition agreements on the mobility of natural persons. In recognition of this role, the nomination was awarded only to Chairperson Manzala with no other candidate in consideration. The nomination brings honor to the Philippines as a member of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc.

As ASEAN Task Force Chairperson, Chair Manzala will preside over the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) project, “Education and Training Governance: Capacity Building for National Qualification Framework”. The project aims to provide assistance in the facilitation in the movement of natural persons and increased educational sector investment among the parties for the adoption of a national qualification framework.

Prior to this nomination, Chair Manzala accepted the leadership of the Philippine Team to the ASEAN Task Force upon the invitation of Angelo Salvador Benedictos, Philippine Senior Economic Official to ASEAN of the Department of Trade and Industry, who acknowledged her highly valuable experience in international trade negotiations and her integral role in the implementation of the facilitation projects in the ASEAN free trade agreements (FTA).

The adoption of the national qualification framework will pave the way for the formation of a regional qualification framework. The project is a Trade in Services component of the AANZFTA under which ASEAN with Australia and New Zealand will spearhead activities to reduce constraints on market access for service providers and investors and enhance the cross border flows of services in the region.