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Embassy News

PH Ambassador to France congratulates ALSE-OF LIFE BATCH 103

19 June 2022 - As the Philippines commemorates the 161st birth anniversary of the National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, thirteen (13) members of the Filipino community in France graduated from the Ateneo Overseas Filipino Leadership, Innovation, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship (ALSE-OF LIFE) Program.

^{Graduates of the ALSE-OF LIFE Program with Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West, Mr. John West, and First Secretary Marge Malang.}

The ALSE-OF LIFE is a program launched by the Ateneo School of Government and its partners: Overseas Filipino Society for the Promotion of Economic Security, Inc.; Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.; and UGAT Foundation, etc., to empower global Filipinos and provide them with basic skills in leadership, social innovation, financial literacy and social entrepreneurship. The program consists of 12 sessions conducted over 6 months with particular focus on the following: a) empowering overseas Filipinos to view themselves as agents of positive change and transformation; b) improving their economic security, for retirement/reintegration in the Philippines; and c) exploring potentials for changing their livelihood options, either in the host country or back in the Philippines.

^{Left photo: Ambassador Mahilum-West delivers her remarks at the ALSE-OF LIFE Graduation. Right photo: Representative of the Ateneo School of Government addresses this year’s Graduates virtually.}

Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West congratulated all the graduates and thanked them for their invaluable contribution not just to their host country, France, but most importantly, to the Philippines. With their successful completion of the ALSE-OF LIFE Programme, they are pursuing a path of excellence or “magis,” and following the footsteps of Rizal, an Atenean and a global Filipino himself, in bringing pride to the Philippines.

The Ambassador also extended her appreciation to the organizers and volunteers of ALSE-OF LIFE, noting that the program could be among the Philippines’ concrete contributions to UNESCO’s Transforming Education Summit.

ALSE-OF LIFE in Paris, France started in 2013 and has thus far produced five (5) batches of successful graduates. They are part of the Filipino community in France who continue to enrich people-to-people exchanges among the Filipinos and French. The Philippines and France celebrate the 75th year of diplomatic relations this year. END

Philippines joins 53 other countries in 20th Fêtes Consulaires in Lyon

^{Philippine booth getting ready to welcome the Lyonnaise public.}

14 June 2022—The Philippines participated in the 20^th Fêtes Consulaires from 10-12 June at Place Bellecour in Lyon after the festival was on hiatus for two years due to the pandemic.

^{Filipino community members serenade visitors with OPM classics.}

Minister and Consul General Hans Mohaimin Siriban represented the Philippine Embassy at the event where the Philippines, along with 53 other countries, had individual booths where various cultural and tourism materials were displayed and distributed to the public to promote greater awareness of the different countries.

^{(L to R) PH Honorary Consul Hervé de Maillard, Mayor Gregory Doucet, Consul General Hans Siriban}

Lyon Mayor Gregory Doucet tendered a reception for the consular corps on 10 June 2022 at the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall). He formally inaugurated the Fêtes Consulaires village and visited different booths. Mayor Doucet greeted the Philippine officials and community members in Filipino, having lived and worked with a humanitarian association in the Philippines from 2002-2006.

Philippine Consul ad honorem Hervé de Maillard and the Filipino community in Lyon actively participated in the organization of the 20^th Fêtes Consulaires along with the City of Lyon and members of the consular corps.

The Filipino community distributed various PH tourism materials and regaled the public with OPM songs at the main stage and the Philippine booth. END

PH celebrates World Oceans Day with SIDS

^{During the roundtable presentation of Dr.Laura David, Co-Chair of the National Committee on Marine Sciences (NCMS)}

08 June 2022 – In celebration of the World Oceans Day, the Small Island States (SIDS) and the Group of Friends of SIDS in UNESCO organized a round table on “Climate Change and Resilience: Bringing Science and Technology to the Ocean in a Manner Consistent with Traditional Knowledge.” PH is a member of the 49-member Group of Friends of SIDS.

The roundtable was held in hybrid format, with the participation of experts in the field namely, Mr. Virginijus Sinkevicius (European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries), Mr. Vladimir Ryabinin (Assistant Director General of UNESCO, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), Dr. Russel Reichhelt (Representative of the Australian Prime Minister on the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy), Dr. Amr Zakaria (President of the National Institute for Oceans and Fisheries of Egypt), Mr. Francois Grunewald (Director for Monitoring and Anticipation of the Emergency Rehabilitation and Development of France), Dr. Hajime Kayanne (Professor in the Graduate School of Science of the University of Tokyo), Mr. Nicolas Imbert (Executive Director of Green Cross France and Territories) and Dr. Laura David (Co-Chair of the National Committee on Marine Sciences of the Philippines).

^{During the roundtable presentation of Dr.Laura David, Co-Chair of the}^{National Committee on Marine Sciences (NCMS)}

Dr. Laura David shared that per latest studies, only 2.4% of the ocean is fully or highly protected from fishing impacts. She emphasized that in advancing marine ecosystems resilience and sustainable development, conservation is key. Towards this end, the Philippines is currently 1) including climate change as part of its risk assessment in establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) 2) including multiple habitats in MPA establishment in order to increase biodiversity in MPAs 3) mitigating stress on the environment by considering sources of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorous and 4) conducting connectivity studies to provide the scientific basis for the prioritization, design and establishment of MPA networks.

She shared that there is a need to re-imagine partnerships with local stakeholders to give more voice to traditional knowledge. Conservation should be framed against global issues but should maintain local relevance. Science needs to be better communicated so that it has relevance on the ground. Finally, there is a need to emphasize that nature-based adaptation is sustainable and can lead to true resilience – the goal of not just surviving but finding a way to thrive in the new normal. END

Embassy celebrates Independence Day with the Filipino Community on Paris

13 June 2022, Paris – The Philippine Embassy in France celebrated the 124th Anniversary of Philippine Independence at the Philippine Embassy in Paris on 12 June 2022. Over one hundred members of various Filipino community associations joined the festivities, the first in-person celebration after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

The celebration began with a mass in Filipino officiated by Fr. Jose Victor Lobrigo at 8:45am. This was promptly followed by the flag raising ceremony and viewing of the speeches from the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr.

HE Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West, in her speech in Filipino, reminded the community of the love for freedom for which Philippine heroes offered the ultimate sacrifice. The Ambassador also invited the community to participate in upcoming events to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and France. The Ambassador also enjoined the community: “ipakilala at ipagmalaki ang ating bansa, ang ating kultura at ang kakayahan ng mga Pilipino dito sa Pransya (introduce and take pride in our country, our culture and the talent and ability of Filipinos here in France).”