MANILA, Philippines — Two bilateral agreements were signed between the Philippines and Mexico during Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario’s recent visit to the Spanish colonized country.

Del Rosario signed the two bilateral agreements with Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in Mexico last February 16.

The two agreements include establishing a Joint Bilateral Consultation Meeting and providing for the exchange of information, training modules, and scholars for diplomatic training.

It will be recalled that Espinosa had earlier invited her Filipino counterpart to visit Mexico for a working meeting to revisit Philippines-Mexico relations and chart its future directions.

Mexico also offered its assistance in helping the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) establish its own on-line diplomatic training and education program, which Mexico is implementing with success.

Del Rosario also congratulated Espinosa for assuming the presidency of the G-20 for 2012 and affirmed the Philippines' support for its priorities. The two officials also agreed to cooperate in climate change issues such as the “Green Development Agenda.”

The Foreign Affairs secretary noted that in the last 60 years of Philippine-Mexico relations, 21 bilateral agreements were signed, but mainly on education and culture. He underscored the need to focus the relations more on bilateral trade and investments.

Noting that tourism is Mexico's second largest source of foreign exchange reserves, Secretary Del Rosario pointed out that the Philippines can readily supply goods for Mexico's booming tourism industry.

The two officials expressed agreement to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and will work together to make their common objective a reality. Their officials also shared best practices of each other's programs to render assistance and protection to their nationals abroad.

Espinosa expressed support for the DFA's plan to open two honorary consulates in Manzanillo and Veracruz, two port cities, where at least 100,000 Filipino seafarers pass each year.

Filipino historians recalled the centuries of prosperous galleon trade between Acapulco, Mexico, and Manila.

They added that colonial Spain ruled Mexico and the Philippines for many years, planting the seed of Christianity and influencing their names, food, and way of life.