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(04 August 2023) PHL Ambassador to CHL H.E. Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat met with Ambassador Pedro Hernandez, Assistant Director of International Migration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, to propose more relaxed visa arrangements for Filipino visitors to Chile, as well as to discuss other Consular issues affecting the Filipino Community in Chile. The Ambassador was accompanied by Minister and Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin and Ms. Carolina Farias, the Embassy’s interpreter.

The meeting also afforded the Ministry the opportunity to apprise the Philippine Embassy of its new Consular and Immigration regulations that can potentially affect Filipino citizens who wish to visit or work in Chile.  For its part, the Embassy expressed its appreciation for Chile’s invaluable assistance in expediting the issuance of a visa upon arrival for Filipinos based in the Falkland Islands and requiring urgent medical attention in Chile. 

As one of the next steps following the meeting, the Embassy in Santiago shall arrange a briefing by Ministry officials on entry and residency regulations in Chile.

Consular issues, including the proposal for the relaxation of visa requirements for eligible Filipinos, shall be among the matters to be discussed at the 6th Philippines-Chile Bilateral Consultation Meeting (BCM) scheduled on 18 August 2023 in Manila, Philippines. 

There are approximately 860 Filipinos in Chile. OFWs in Chile are generally treated well, hold legitimate contracts, and work for employers who are professionals or businessmen. The Government of Chile is largely seen as pro-worker and strictly implements regulations that protect and grant privileges and benefits to workers. END

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Officials of the PHL Embassy, Philippine Franchise Association, and the Cámara Comercio de Santiago pose for a photo following their successful 1st online meeting. 

(Santiago, 26 July 2023) As part of its series of economic diplomacy initiatives for 2023, the Philippine Embassy in Chile organized the 1 st Philippines-Chile Meeting on Franchising via
online platform between the PHL Franchise Association (PFA) and the Camára Comercio de Santiago or CCS (Santiago Chamber of Commerce).

In her introductory remarks, H.E. Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat underlined the Embassy’s intent to bridge and host the event “as an initial step to promote two-way entry of the
Philippines’ and Chile’s most dynamic and competitive franchise offerings, as well as to increase familiarization between PFA and CCS, specifically through the latter’s Franchise  Committee and members.”

PFA Chairperson Sherill Quintana discussed the history of PFA, most importantly its pioneering role as the home to the most trusted franchise brands in the Philippines, PFA’s membership in the World Franchise Council, and its active role as the current Secretariat of the Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation.

PFA President Chris Lim highlighted why franchising is indeed among the most dynamic, fun, and lucrative means to penetrate and thrive in the Philippine market, and also provided a snapshot of the country’s competitive advantages which support consistent franchising income streams.

PFA also invited CCS and its members to consider sending a delegation to the landmark International Franchise Expo to be held in SMX Manila from 27 to 29 October 2023 and/or to the subsequent International Franchise Expo on 12-14 April 2024.

CCS Deputy Manager for International Affairs Ms. Elizabeth Lagos, assisted by Committee Manager Ms. Julia Vergara, provided a backgrounder on their chamber which has existed since 1919 and, to date, has a current membership of more than 2,500 large, medium, and small companies from cross-cutting sectors, such as: commerce, e-commerce, retail, transportation, communication, food and beverage, pharmacies, gyms, services, and many more. CCS also provided information on its small, but fast-growing roster of franchise members.

Ms. Lagos also said that “CCS admires the level of sophistication of the Philippine franchising industry” and lauded the PFA’s briefing as “an eye-opener on the many economic opportunities that the Philippines has to offer, particularly in the franchise business.”

As a means of moving forward with the partnership, PFA and CCS agreed to maintain their lines of close communication alongside the Embassy and to exchange additional information about each institution and their activities—especially the upcoming October 2023 and April 2024 Manila-based expos on the part of PFA. Upon the request of CCS, another online meeting will be scheduled well ahead of the April 2024 Franchise Expo, with PFA this time presenting the details of the said event directly to CCS’s franchise members.

Also in attendance during the recent PFA and CCS meeting were Executive Director Chit Estrada and Deputy Director Jake Santos from the PFA, and Minister & Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin, First Secretary & Consul Dennis John C. Briones, and Cultural Officer Brian Peter C. Bustamante of the Philippine Embassy in Chile. END

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(L-R) Minister and Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin, Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, Ambassador Patricio Powell, CHL MFA’s Asia Pacific Division (DIRAPAC) Director, and Mr. Sebastian Canales, DIRAPAC First Secretary

 

(26 July 2023) PHL Ambassador to CHL H.E. Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat met with Ambassador Patricio Powell, Director for the Asia-Pacific Division (DIRAPAC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to officially confirm the receipt by the Ministry of the Interior of Chile of the Philippine Government’s monetary donation as part of the ongoing cooperation between the Philippines and Chile on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), and in light of recent calamities experienced by Chile.

 

The Philippines and Chile are both vulnerable to natural disasters, and both lie within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Chile had to contend with deadly wildfires early this year, as well as heavy flooding in many areas due the recent spate of torrential rains. On the other hand, the Philippines is frequented by at least five destructive typhoons yearly. In light of these frequent natural threats, both countries successfully negotiated and concluded an MOU on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in November 2015.
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Attendees to the Inaugural Philippines-Chile Joint Technical Working Group pose for an official group photo following the conclusion of the meeting agenda. 

(5 July 2023, Santiago and Manila) As part of ongoing initiatives to strengthen agricultural, scientific, technical cooperation between the Philippines and Chile, the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines and Ministry of Agriculture of Chile spearheaded PHL and CHL agencies in the first-ever
meeting of the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) on Agriculture, held via virtual platform on 6 July 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (PHL time). The activity is the first landmark meeting to be held under the ambit of the PHL-CHL MOU on Cooperation in Agriculture signed on 17 November 2021
by Chile and on 4 January 2022 by the Philippines.

 

Co-Chairs Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Mr. Noel A. Padre and Mr. Gabriel Layseca, Head of the International Affairs Department of Chile’s Office of Agricultural Policies and Studies (ODEPA), underscored the importance of the JTWG meeting as a key platform
in exchanging best practices between Philippines and Chile, and leveraging the two countries’ complementarities and strengths in agriculture and related fields.

 

The meeting covered ongoing areas of cooperation as well as opened avenues for pursuing future PHL-CHL collaboration in: (1) agroecology and organic agriculture; (2) best practices on clustering and consolidation, value chain management (i.e., blockchain model in farm to market integration; (3) knowledge exchange on agriculture and fisheries extension (AFE), delivery systems, approaches, and modalities; (4) cooperation in digital agriculture; (5) knowledge exchange in virtual inspection of processing plants; (6) the Chilean National Strategy of Sovereignty for Food Security; and, (7) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or HPAI regionalization to resume Chilean poultry exports.

PHL Ambassador to Chile H.E. Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat emphasized the importance of holding succeeding and more specific meetings on the part of each participating government unit, as well as establishing timelines and tracking the progress of each agreed area of agricultural collaboration.
She also echoed and supported the proposal of CHL Ambassador to PHL H.E. Alvaro Jara for the Department of Agriculture of the PHL and the Ministry of Agriculture of CHL to come up with a roadmap to serve as an output document and guide for the completion of the JTWG’s agreed
programs and projects.
Joining the Philippines’s Department of Agriculture were other officials from the Bureau of Animal Industry, Agriculture Training Institute, and National Inspection and Service, while joining Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture were officials from its Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), Office of
Agricultural Policies and Studies (ODEPA), (Sub-Secretariat for International Economic Relations), and the Chilean Embassy in Manila. Also present in attendance were the DFA-Office of American Affairs, represented by Director Miguel Hornilla, and the Philippine Embassy in Chile’s Minister &
Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin and First Secretary and Consul Dennis John C. Briones.

Both the PHL Department of Agriculture and CHL Ministry of Foreign Affairs target this landmark meeting to be the first of many subsequent engagements of concrete cooperation between the two countries and their agricultural agencies and subunits. END

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