Philippine education minister invites Turks to open more schools in his country

Philippine Minister of Education Armin Altamirano Luistro (on the right)
Philippine Minister of Education Armin Altamirano Luistro (on the right)


Date posted: August 6, 2013

Philippine Minister of Education Armin Altamirano Luistro, attending a dinner organized by a Turkish foundation in Manila on Sunday evening, has invited more Turks to open new schools in his country.

A friendship dinner was organized by the Pacific Dialogue Foundation, a Turkish foundation, in Manila on Sunday evening. The dinner was attended by several prominent government officials, including Philippine Minister of Education Luistro, who praised Turkish schools, which offer high-quality education to Philippine students.

Speaking to the Cihan News Agency, Luistro said: “When I came here, our president told me, ‘Go there and reinforce our brotherhood [with Turkey].’ Our brotherhood was already reinforced with the Turkish schools in the Philippines, in particular in the Mindanao region. Please open Turkish schools in every region of the country. I am ready to do anything necessary for this.”

Pacific-Dialogue-Foundation-iftar-2Sharing his feelings about the dinner, Luistro gave a message of intercultural dialogue. He said: “The speaker coming from Turkey, Dr. Ahmet Muharrem Atlığ, is an Islamic religious scholar. And I am a Christian scholar. We talked about the same things during our speeches. I suppose there are more than 400 attendees in this hall and I believe all of them think the same way as us. Then, what is the world fighting for? I want to thank my Turkish brothers, who remind us of the importance of love and peace.”

Speaking during the dinner, Dr. Atlığ, secretary-general of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), reminded the attendees of the well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen’s remarks: “Be so tolerant that your bosom becomes wide like the ocean. Become inspired with faith and love of human beings. Let there be no troubled souls to whom you do not offer a hand and about whom you remain unconcerned.” He added, “We are here to do just that.”

Among the other participants were Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Hatice Pınar Işık, Philippine Armed Forces spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos, Philippine-Turkish Business Council Chairman Ernesto Chua, former Senator Nikki Coseteng and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Mehol K. Sadain.

Source: HizmetMovement.Com , August 6, 2013


Related News

Final Declaration of “Coexistence in Islamic Civilizations and Contemporary Reviews” Conference

In this century when “Alienation” has become a global and local syndrome of every society and the problems of “inability to coexist” have gained momentum, The Journalists and Writers Foundation Inter Cultural Dialogue Platform (IDP) and the Fatih University Civilizations Research and Application Center (CRAC) co-organized the “Coexistence in Islamic Civilization and Contemporary Reviews” International […]

Warriors of enlightenment: pen versus bullet

BÜLENT KENEŞ, April 24, 2012 As we were watching the country finals of International Turkish Olympiads enthusiastically and becoming impatient for the great final in Turkey, we were shocked to learn that a heinous attack had been launched against one of the educational institutions that, like their counterparts in the remotest parts of the world, […]

AK Party vs. Cemaat?

Ali Ünal Of the many seemingly true claims that have been put forward in regards to the discussions that have come about surrounding the Turkish government’s attempt to close down exam prep-courses, some arguments bear good intentions while others call the Hizmet Movement to “keep quiet” with arguments that lie far from the truth. One […]

Pak-Turk Schools react to baseless claims

Turkish Schools in Pakistan reacted to the recent claims that the schools will be nationalized. “The claims are entirely baseless without any merit,” the schools’ officials said.

Champion of Turkish schools in Australia dies at 43

Sezer Morkoç, an active volunteer for Turkish schools in Australia, died at his home at age 43 on Monday after a battle with liver cancer. Sezer Morkoç was known by his active volunteer activities in Australia. His ex-colleague Nail Kaleli recalls him by his volunteer character who would never refuse to help any educational initiatives. He involved in all the process opening of the Burc College in Australia, where more than 300,000 Turks live.

Armed with automatic rifles, Turkish authorities raid Gülen-linked schools

Inspectors from six different state bodies have raided several schools and educational facilities linked to the Gülen movement as part of a witch-hunt against the group that has been raging since twin corruption investigations targeting the country’s president and his inner circle.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Turkey’s Erdogan takes cue from Hitler, Stalin and Khomeini

Fethullah Gulen in 2 minutes

World media covers possible anti-journalist ops; Turkish press silent

Erdogan targets Hizmet inspired schools on Africa visit

Don’t lose the plot

Alevi, Sunni businessmen will finance joint prayer complex

Detained Gülen school director to ask for asylum to avoid extradition

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News