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MESSAGE OF THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
On the Occasion of the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of
Philippine Independence
As we celebrate the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence with pride and poignant remembrance, we honor the sacrifices of our heroes who fought with incredible courage to secure our freedom as a nation. From Dr. Jose Rizal, to Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini, our timeless champions continue to inspire the Philippines to be proud of its past, faithful to the present and confident about its future. In the last five years under the Aquino administration’s reform agenda dubbed, “Tuwid na Daan,” our country has never been more optimistic about its future. Now, more than ever, the Philippines is assured of its role in the community of responsible nations. This year’s theme, “Kalayaan 2015: Tagumpay sa Pagbabagong Nasimulan, Abot-Kamay na ng Bayan” (Independence 2015: Triumphs through reforms, within nation’s reach), therefore, comes with renewed international confidence in the Philippines’ potential not only as one of Asia’s growth engines but also in its emerging role as a lead advocate in the region on the primacy of the rule of law. For its part, as the ‘Department that never sleeps,’ the Department of Foreign Affairs continues to embrace the ideals of our heroes in pursuing a principled, focused and forward-looking foreign policy; whether in terms of preserving national security, enhancing economic diplomacy or protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of our overseas Filipinos. We continue to call on all our kababayan to do their share in building a progressive Philippines. We encourage investors and development partners to help us achieve a truly inclusive Filipino society. We envision the current and the next generation of Filipino leaders and social entrepreneurs to continue the reform agenda so that, in the words of President Benigno S. Aquino III, “no one is left behind.” In commemorating this year’s Independence Day, let the lives of our national heroes remind us of the powerful lessons of choice, inclusiveness, and above all, the very nature that makes us all human – the capacity to do good and to achieve greatness.
Mabuhay ang Araw ng Kalayaan!
ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
12 June 2015, Pasay City
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05 May 2015 - The Philippine Embassy in Prague recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), a body that is attached to the Office of the President tasked to establish, organize, operate and maintain local and international film festivals, exhibitions and similar activities.
Both parties aim to promote Filipino culture, and enhance cultural relations with the Czech Republic, and at the same time reinforce links with Filipino communities and overseas Filipino workers through the medium of films.
The Embassy and the FDCP are cooperating in the screening of Filipino film, “Bamboo Flowers”, directed by Maryo J. de los Reyes, at the 4th ASEAN Film Festival (AFF), to be held at Lucerna Cinema in the Czech Republic’s capital city from September 08 to 12.
The film was an entry to the FDCP’s Sining Pambansa National Film Festival All-Masters Edition.
The ASEAN Film Festival is a weeklong series of screenings of movies organized by the ASEAN Committee in Prague composed of the Embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Admission is free of charge.
This is the first time that the Philippine Embassy in Prague is working jointly with the FDCP. This was made possible through the assistance of the Cultural Diplomacy Unit under the Office of Undersecretary for International Economic Relations of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Philippine Embassy had presented three films in prior ASEAN Film Festivals in Prague, namely: Noy directed by award-winning film director Dondon Santos, Himala by National Artist Ishmael Bernal and with Nora Aunor in the lead and RPG Metanoia, the first full-length 3D animated film directed Luis C. Suarez. All attracted viewers among film enthusiasts, the diplomatic corps, and Filipino community members in the Czech Republic. END
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PRESS RELEASE
Research Visit of Fr. Rene Javellana, SJ to the Czech Republic on the History of Czech Jesuits and Travelers Kamel, Klein, and Haenke to the Philippines
Prague -- Fr. Rene Javellana, SJ, art historian and Associate Professor of the Fine Arts Department of the Ateneo de Manila University and Jesuit Archivist, travelled to the Czech Republic in late April for his exploratory research on the history of the Czech Jesuits and travelers to the Philippines. In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Ambassador Vic Lecaros said that Fr. Javellana specifically looked into the work of Georg Kamel, SJ (1661-1706), Paul Klein, SJ (1652-1777) and Tadeo Haenke (1761-1817).
Under the patronage of the National Museum of the Philippines for its project in constructing the new Museum of Natural History, which is expected to include exhibits related to the Czechs, Fr. Javellana’s visit received the full support and cooperation of the Philippine Embassy in Prague, the Czech Embassy in Manila and the Philippine Consulate-General in Brno, Czech Republic.
Fr. Javellana had just come from the British Museum Archives in London, United Kingdom and the University of Leuven in Beligum where he saw the original work of Kamel, a Jesuit missionary in the Philippines in the late 17th century and who was the first to document Philippine flora and fauna.
His trip to the Czech Republic included visits and meetings with the Directors of the Ibero-American Department of the Charles University to discuss academic cooperation, the Haenke Collection at the Czech National Museum to see the works of Tadeo Haenke, a Czech geographer and explorer who collected thousands of plants from the Philippines during the Malaspina expedition and whose collection was acquired by the Czech National Museum in 1821.
Fr. Javellana also visited the city of Litomerice to see the Rizaliana collection and to join the Rizal Heritage Trail prepared by the Philippine Embassy. He also met with Mayor Vladislav Chlupac, who is a member of the Knights of Rizal.
Throughout his stay, Fr. Javellana was assisted by Embassy First Secretary and Consul Juan E. Dayang, Jr. and Honorary Consul General Bretislav Skacel. They went to the Research Library in Olomouc to see the original 1744 Philippine map of Spanish Jesuit Pedro Murillo Velarde and Paul Klein’s book Remedios Faciles (Simple Remedies for Various Diseases). Also referred to as Pablo Clain, he wrote an early draft of a Tagalog dictionary. In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Tomas Bat’a University Zlin and the Bat’a Museum.
They likewise visited the Moravian Archives in Brno which has the baptismal registry of Kamel and the Spilberk Castle to see the Baroque Pharmacy at the Museum.
At the conclusion of his itinerary in the Czech Republic, Fr. Javellana then flew to Rome to explore the Roman Jesuit Archives and to see Kamel’s hand-written final vows as a Jesuit.
The Philippine Embassy will continue its cooperation with the Czech Embassy in Manila to coordinate joint cultural and historic projects to further deepen Philippine-Czech relations and to promote enhanced cooperation with historic, cultural, and educational institutions in the Czech Republic and their counterparts in the Philippines. END
Visit to the Olomouc Research Library
(L-R: Consul Juan E. Dayang, Jr. Director Jitka Holásková, Fr. Rene Javellana)
1744 Map of the Philippines by Spanish Jesuit Pedro M. Velarde as part of the
Olomouc Research Library Collection
Visit to the Bat’a Museum in Zlin
Visit to the Moravian Archive in Brno of Fr. Rene Javellana, Consul Juan E. Dayang, Jr. and Honorary Consul-General Bretislav Skacel
Hand-written letter of Georg Kamel in the Moravia Archive Collection
Baptismal registry of George Kamel in the Moravia Archive Collection
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PRESS RELEASE
PHILIPPINES GETS GREEN CARD ON FISHERIES FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
The Philippine Mission to the European Union in Brussels is pleased to announce that today, 21 April 2015, the European Commission granted the Philippines a "green card", signifying the successful completion of the formal dialogue with theEU on illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUUF).
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Mr. Karmenu Vella announced the granting of the "green card" to the Philippines at a press conference in Brussels. The announcement coincided with the opening of the annual European Seafood Expo at the Brussels Expo.
With this matter successfuly resolved, exports of Philippine fisheries product to the EU will continue unhampered. Fisheries products account for the bulk of Philippine exports to the member states of the European Union.
The Philippines and the European Union began a formal dialogue on IUUF in June 2014, when the European Commission issued the Philippines a yellow card, pre-identifying the Philippines as a possible non-cooperating country in the fight against IUUF. During the initial six months of the formal dialogue, the Philippines exerted significant efforts to address perceived shortcomings in its legal, administrative and technical frameworks for ensuring sustainable fisheries.
Among the major accomplishments during this 6-month period are the enactment of amendments to the 1998 Philippine Code, the strengthening of cooperation with countries in the Pacific to ensure treaceability of catches made by Philippine long-distance fleets in waters outside of Philippine Jurisdiction, and the bolstering of the technical and administrative capacities of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to ensure the effective enforcement of Philippine fisheries regulation.
President Benigno Aquino III also assured European Union heads of government of the Philippine commitment to ensure sustainable fisheries during his visit to Belgium, France, Spain and Germany in September 2014. END
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