On 18 May 2018, a delegation from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) came for a one-day visit to Dubna to get acquainted with JINR and establish scientific contacts with the aim of further cooperation. The delegation was represented by PNRI Director Carlo A. Arcilla, Chief of the PNRI Atomic Research Division Lucille V. Abad, Chief of the PNRI Technology Diffusion Division Ana Elena L. Conjares as well as President of the Mardas Corporation Dave Ranile. The delegation was accompanied by representatives of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM.

The visit to JINR was preceded by participation of the Philippine guests in the X jubilee International Forum “ATOMEXPO” that had been held on 14 – 16 May 2018 in Sochi.

At the JINR Directorate, the guests were welcomed by JINR Vice-Director M.G. Itkis, Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department D.V. Kamanin and Deputy Head of the Department A.A. Kotova. The guests were given an overview information about JINR, major objects of its scientific infrastructure and fields of research. PNRI Director Carlo A. Arcilla noted in his turn that the main field of PNRI activities is applied research, and it determined the scope of scientific interests of the delegation at JINR. Nowadays, the Republic of the Philippines is committed to active development of nuclear power in the country as well as development of its own scientific base. In this respect, the Philippine party expressed great interest in JINR educational programmes aimed at training of highly qualified specialists. In the course of the discussion, it was noted that the first contacts between JINR and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute had been established during the 59th session of the IAEA General Conference in September 2015.

The Philippine delegation visited the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics where the guests were seen to the IBR-2 reactor and the IREN facility by FLNP Deputy Director Otilia Culicov. Information about methods of neutron activation analysis and their application evoked a vivid interest among the guests. The delegation paid a special attention to the IBR-2 user programme on the bases of which practical contacts may be established in the nearest future. The delegation also visited the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions where FLNR Scientific Secretary A.V. Karpov introduced the guests to research carried out in the Laboratory, considerable achievements of JINR in the fields of synthesis of superheavy elements and the accelerator complex of the Laboratory. The visit to the JINR Laboratories was concluded in the Veksler and Baldin Laboratory of High Energy Physics where a legendary Synchrophasotron, the Nuclotron superconducting accelerator as well as the Factory of superconducting magnets were shown to the guests.

At the conclusion of the visit, the Philippine guests noted their great impression of JINR and expressed their interest in using opportunities for a more detailed acquaintance with the Joint Institute within the frames of events held at the Institute. In particular, they were interested in the International training programme for decision-makers in science and international scientific cooperation «JINR Expertise for Member States and Partner Countries» (JEMS).