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Filipino Chef Miguel (center) with hosts Santi Lesmes (left) and Maria Julia Mantilla (right) of the Peruvian TV Show “Arriba Mi Gente” on Channel 2, Latina Television.  

Filipino Chef Miguel Paolo Damatac (third from the left, in black) and Peruvian Chef Héctor Aguilar Valle (in black and white, second from the left) with participants of the Peruvian Cooking Classes.

(Lima, 24 July 2024) —The Philippine Embassy in Chile, in partnership with the National Commission for the Culture and Arts (NCCA), organized a series of culinary events as part of activities planned for the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Peru.

The Embassy is proud to work with talented Filipino Chef Miguel Paolo Damatac in promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of Filipino cuisines among local and international audiences in Peru,” said Philippine Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat.

Chef Damatac showed the viewers of the Peruvian TV show “Arriba Mi Gente” how to prepare a classic Filipino dish, Chicken Adobo. 

Chef Damatac was featured as a guest on Arriba Mi Gente on Channel 2, Latina Television. During this appearance, he showcased the preparation of Chicken Adobo, a beloved Filipino dish, to the Peruvian audience. "Arriba Mi Gente" ("Rise, My People" in English) is a magazine morning show that features current events and lifestyle topics in Peru.

His demonstration introduced viewers to the rich flavors and techniques involved in making Chicken Adobo, emphasizing its significance in Filipino cuisine. The segment not only highlighted Filipino culinary traditions but also fostered cross-cultural appreciation.

During the market tour, Peruvian Executive Chef Héctor Aguilar Valle from Peruvian Cooking Classes, a culinary school, introduces Chef Miguel to Peruvian ingredients and products.

Prior to the TV show appearance, Santiago PE collaborated with Executive Chef Héctor Aguilar Valle of the Peruvian Cooking Classes, a culinary center that promotes Brand Peru, a government-backed initiative aimed at enhancing the global reputation of Peru by promoting its cultural heritage, tourism, and economic opportunities. The collaboration aims to promote cross-cultural understanding between Filipino and Peruvian culinary traditions.

Chef Damatac was invited on a tour of Mercado N° 2 de Surquillo, a public market in Miraflores, to introduce him to a variety of Peruvian ingredients, cooking tools, and interactive displays, providing a comprehensive look into Peru's rich culinary landscape.

Chef Damatac also participated in a culinary session where Chef Aguilar taught the attendees to prepare Ceviche (a Peruvian dish made of raw fish marinated in citrus juices), Causa (a classic Peruvian cold potato dish, where boiled potatoes are filled with a variety of ingredients and topped with a spicy sauce and garnished with herbs), and Pisco Sour (a cocktail made with grape brandy, lime juice, egg white, and Angostura bitters).

Filipino Chef Miguel prepares Causa, a Peruvian dish made of layers of mashed potatoes filled with various ingredients. In a remarkable display of mutual culinary learning, Chef Damatac conducted another cooking demonstration with Peruvian chefs Héctor Aguilar Valle, Samuel Martin Guerrero Moscol, and Ricardo Céspedes Jordán.

During this session, Chef Damatac taught the Peruvian chefs how to prepare Chicken Pastil, providing insights into its background and significance within Filipino cuisine.

In exchange, the Peruvian chefs shared their expertise with Chef Damatac, demonstrating the precise techniques for crafting traditional Peruvian alcoholic drinks and preparing another classic dish, Lomo Saltado. This Peruvian dish is made of tender beef strips stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, and French fries, served with rice, and garnished with cilantro.

Chef Miguel poses with the members of the Peruvian Cooking Classes, a culinary school headed by a conglomerate of professional and top chefs that offers foreigners culinary experiences and teaches Peruvian cuisine.

Through engaging events such as the Peruvian market immersion, collaborative sessions, and a television show appearance, the Embassy has been showcasing Filipino cuisine’s rich flavors and traditions while embracing and learning from Peruvian culinary practices.

Ambassador Balatbat has acknowledged not only Chef Miguel’s culinary expertise but also the work of the Embassy team and coordinator Ms. Agnes Katbeth “Keibi” Kreimer from the Filipino community in Lima, and the contribution of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in making this culinary journey possible.

These exchanges have fostered greater mutual understanding and appreciation, underscoring the vibrant cultural dialogue that defines this milestone anniversary.

END

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Members of the University of the Philippines Rondalla perform at the PH Embassy’s celebration of the Philippine Independence in Peru and Chile 

(Lima, 3 June 2024 and Santiago, 5 June 2024) – To celebrate the 126th year of the anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Embassy in Chile organized back-to-back concerts by the University of the Philippines (UP) Rondalla at Centro Cultural Inca Garcilaso in Lima, Peru and at Museo Histórico y Militar de Chile in Santiago, Chile. 

The celebration in Peru also commemorated another milestone event: the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Peru. 

Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat greets Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Javier González-Olaechea

Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat greets Director-General Christian Hodges-Nugent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile

The back-to-back concerts were attended by the diplomatic corps, members of the Filipino Community, and the general public. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier González-Olaechea and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs John Peter Camino Cannock attended the Peruvian leg of the concert. In Chile, Christian Hodges-Nugent, Director-General of Ceremonials and Protocol and Marta Bonet Guericabeitia, Director General of Consular Affairs, Immigration and Chileans Abroad were among the key officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the event. 

 

Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat delivers her welcome remarks (delivered in Spanish) in Peru and Chile 

Philippine Ambassador to Peru and Chile, Ambassador Celeste-Vinzon Balatbat, underscored the deep historic and cultural ties that bind the Philippines with Peru and Chile despite the physical distance between the two countries.

“While the vast waters of the Pacific Ocean separate us, these waters also unite us. Our two economies have a long maritime tradition and we have a collective stake in the sustainability of this Ocean. We value democracy, human rights, and respect for rule of law. Our colonial history, our struggle for independence, and our Hispanic heritage are shared experiences that bring us closer to each other.” 

Vice-Minister John Peter Camino Cannock of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivers his key remarks

In Peru, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to advance relations, citing the upcoming first bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines and Peru in June and other avenues of cooperation such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation being chaired by Peru in 2024. 

Vice Minister Camino, in his key remarks, highlighted the strengthening of PH-PER relations in recent years such as the bilateral meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and President Dina Boluarte in November 2023, as well as the commitment of both countries to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, and disaster risk reduction and mitigation. 

Filipino violinist Ms. Reineza Santos-Mendoza performs the national anthem of the Philippines in Lima

The UP Rondalla serenaded the audience with a captivating repertoire showcasing the beauty and diversity of Philippine music that featured a selection of Filipino folklore songs, Spanish music, and contemporary Filipino pieces. 

Established in 2009, the UP Rondalla is a musical ensemble known for its mastery of traditional Filipino string instruments. 

UP Rondalla pose for a photo with Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat and Vice Minister Camino in Lima

UP Rondalla pose for a photo with Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat, Director-General Hodges-Nugent, and Museo Histórico y Militar de Chile Director General Antonio Yakcich Furche in Santiago 

To introduce the music of the Philippine Rondalla to Latin America, the Philippine Embassy in Chile, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Rondalla, also organized brief workshops in selected educational institutions in Peru and Chile. Rondalla workshops were held at St. George’s College in Lima on 3 June 2024 and Universidad de Santiago de Chile in Santiago on 6 June 2024. 

UP Rondalla with music students of St. George’s College in Lima

UP Rondalla gives a workshop on Rondalla music at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile in Santiago

Student participants learned about the brief history of rondalla, the basics of rondalla performance, and the different stringed instruments that make up the rondalla, such as the bandurria, the octavina, the guitar, and the double bass. 

To raise the profile of Philippine music, Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat and Dr. Jocelyn Marfil, Artistic Director of the UP Rondalla, were likewise interviewed by Mr. Juan José Otayza of Radio Filarmonia, a classical music radio station in Lima, Peru.

 

Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat (2nd from left) and UP Rondalla Artistic Director Dr. Jocelyn U. Marfil (1st from right) pose with FilCom Leaders Mr. Bobby Conda and Ms. Agnes Katbeth Kreimer 

The UP Rondalla concert in Lima forms part of the Embassy’s year-long activities to commemorate its milestone anniversary with Peru. These activities are in line with the Embassy’s continued efforts to raise awareness of the Philippines and to promote Filipino artists and their music in Latin America. - END 

Photos in Santiago courtesy of Museo Histórico y Militar de Chile 

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Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat hands over the original signed copy of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Fisheries and Aquaculture between the Philippines and Chile to Chile’s Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura (SERNAPESCA) National Director Maria Soledad Tapia

(VALPARAISO, 25 March 2024) – The Philippine Embassy in Santiago pushes through with implementing the areas of cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Fisheries and Aquaculture between Philippines and Chile.

During the official handover to Chile’s Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura (SERNAPESCA) of the signed copy of the MoU on Cooperation in Fisheries and Aquaculture between the Philippines and Chile, Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat discussed with SERNAPESCA National Director Maria Soledad Tapia Almonacid the establishment of the Joint Technical Working Group as well as specific initiatives raised by the Philippines’s Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR).

Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat discussed the conduct of exchanges between Philippines and Chile in addressing mutual concerns such as climate change, overfishing, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF), and food safety and security, among other issues.

SERNAPESCA is Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service under the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism.

The MoU, signed in 2023, is a landmark agreement that aims to foster scientific and technical exchanges between the Philippines and Chile.

The two countries remain committed to pave the way for a long-lasting collaboration on the sustainable development of their fisheries and aquaculture sectors. - END

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Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat (third from right) and the Santiago PE team with Directors from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Left to Right): Ms. Catalina Gerstmann of Engagement and Development; Mr. Cristian Díaz of Global Mobility; and Ms. Maribel Florez of Global Education

Ambassador Vinzon-Balatbat presents PUC a replica of a 1613 J. Hondius India Orientalis map showing the Philippines

(SANTIAGO, 08 March 2024) As part of the continuing efforts of the Philippine Embassy to bolster academic ties between the Philippines and Chile, Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat met with officials from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) to discuss collaborative initiatives spanning various areas of specialization.

The discussions centered on exploring avenues to enhance opportunities for students and faculty from both countries, such as cross-cultural community exchanges, joint research, scholarships, and academic partnerships.

Ambassador Balatbat underscored the significance of nurturing people-to-people linkages to foster a dynamic environment that promotes cultural understanding, innovation, diversity, and academic interaction between the two countries, specifically in promoting the Philippines as  a destination for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, as well as engaging the astrophysics program of PUC through knowledge-sharing with relevant institutions such as the Philippine Space Agency.

PUC is one of South America’s premier educational institutions excelling in research in various fields of knowledge. The PUC Directors looked forward to establishing cooperation with universities in the Philippines as well as organizing events with the Philippine Embassy in Santiago. END

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