Lao National Day

01 December, 2009

Tomorrow, Dec. 2, the Laotians celebrate the 34th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).

Although the name was changed officially in 1975, the country is still referred to as Laos by most other countries and the media. The word “Lao” is used as both noun and adjective to describe the country, its people and traditions.

The Lao PDR now has diplomatic relations with 111 countries. Its membership in the ASEAN since 1997 has brought the Lao PDR to the mainstream of regional cooperation. Bilateral relations between the Lao PDR and the Philippines have been cordial and friendly in the framework of ASEAN. The two countries have been supportive of each other’s diplomatic initiatives and in agreements in the political, economic, and socio-cultural fields.

Laos is home to a significant number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), mostly high-skilled and professional workers working on various projects in the country. These workers are greatly appreciated by the people and government of Laos because of their valuable contribution to the country’s economic development.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the Lao PDR were established shortly after the latter’s independence from France in 1949. However, the two countries established resident missions in their respective capitals only in 1997 following the entry of Laos into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July of that year. The Philippines was one of the original ASEAN members that campaigned for the realization of the vision of ASEAN-10, which added Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV) to the original six members.

Last September, a collection of nearly 400 Philippine books were turned over by the Philippine Embassy in Vientiane, Lao PDR, to the Lao National Library to promote better knowledge and understanding of the Philippines and contribute to further enhancing warm relations between the two countries.