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 Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat welcomes participants to the Embassy’s Gender and Development Activity

Representatives from BSP, BPI, BDO, and ATRAM conduct a seminar on PERA

Kali Trainers Gabriel Erbs and Victor Pino with participants of the self-defense training

SANTIAGO 09 March 2024 - The Philippine Embassy in Santiago hosted a series of empowering events to promote financial literacy and physical wellness among the Embassy personnel and the Filipino community in Chile.
To celebrate Women’s Month, the Embassy partnered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and conducted a Personal Equity Retirement Account (PERA) webinar (streamed live on Facebook) to educate women about the importance of financial planning and retirement readiness, empowering them to take control of their financial future.
The webinar was followed by a Kali Martial Arts self-defense training session. Kali, also known as Eskrima or Arnis, is a Filipino martial art rooted in culture and tradition. It encompasses a wide range of skills, including striking, grappling, and weapon disarming.
The Philippine Embassy in Santiago reaffirms its commitment to empowering women by providing them with essential tools for economic independence and personal security. END

 

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(15 February 2024, Santiago) Philippine Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat and Minister Jim Tito San Agustin held an online meeting with Mr. Javier Lancha de Micheo, Contecon Guayaquil  S.A. CEO, to discuss its operations in Ecuador, and how the Embassy could support the company’ work.

Contecon Guayaquil is a subsidiary of the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), a global port management company headquartered in Manila, Philippines, and operates Ecuador's biggest seaport in Guayaquil.

Among the issues discussed is the current security situation in Ecuador, and how the current State of Domestic Armed Conflict is affecting its operations.  Mr. Lancha also raised the issue of fair competition between state- and privately-owned container port terminals in Ecuador.

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(Santiago, 16 February 2024) The Philippine Embassy in Santiago and the Department of Tourism explored avenues for promoting Philippine tourism through strategic partnerships with influential platforms such as “Socios por el Mundo” (Partners Around the World).

Ambassador Balatbat welcomed the opportunity to showcase the beauty and cultural richness of the Philippines to the Chilean audience through “Socios por el Mundo,” Chile’s leading travel show focusing on the imperfect journey and adventures of widely popular Chilean personalities Jorge Zabaleta and Francisco Saavedra. She also highlighted the significance of forging partnerships to boost tourism flows to the Philippines and foster cultural exchange.

Since Chile is 5th in rank among Central and South American countries for tourist arrivals and 69th in the overall tourist arrivals in the Philippines for 2023, Director Tugbang acknowledged the great need for tourism promotion in South America, and how leveraging the reach and influence of Chilean travel shows like “Socios por el Mundo” can potentially attract more potential tourists to the Philippines.

Potential areas for tourism promotion—such as promoting the Philippines as an ESL destination, educational tourism, volunteerism, and activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Peru—were also discussed during the meeting.

The Philippine Embassy in Santiago and the Department of Tourism have agreed to flesh out the details of the possible support for Socios por el Mundo and to invite the Film Development Council of the Philippines to the online meeting with the show’s production team.

The Philippine Embassy was represented by the Philippine Ambassador to Chile Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, Minister and Consul General Jim Tito B. San Agustin, and Cultural and Community Relations Officer Kimiko R. Gata.

Representing the Department of Tourism were the Branding and Marketing Communications Assistant Secretary Gisella Romualdez-Quisumbing of the Office of Secretary, Office of Product and Market Development Director Paulo Benito Tugbang, DOT Central Visayas Chief Tourism Operations Officer Dr. Gelena Asis-Dimpas, and Tourism Operations Officer Johann Erik Martinez.

Socios por el Mundo is produced by the Chilean production company Producciones Mkzeta, which met with the Embassy on 18 October 2023 after the Philippines was shortlisted for the show’s third season to be shot in 2024. Given its high viewership in Chile, the show is reportedly negotiating to stream its episodes in Latin America through Amazon Prime and possibly Netflix.

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(Lima, 8 February 2024) H.E. Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat presented her Letters of Credence to Peruvian President Dina Boluarte in elaborate ceremonies at the Palacio del Gobierno (Government Palace) in Lima. Four other diplomats—representing Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Vietnam—also presented their Letters of Credence as non-resident ambassadors to Peru.

The Ambassador’s accreditation to Peru paves the way for closer engagements between the Philippines and Peru, as two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.  The Philippines and Peru are also active members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC), which Peru is chairing this year.

Ambassador Balatbat presented an open copy of her letters of credence to Ambassador Jaime Cacho-Sousa Velázquez, Director General of Ceremonies and Protocol of the State, at the Palacio de Torre Tagle, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 07 February.

 

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