DEPUTY MANAGING EDITORMohammed Osman Ali

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid M Al-Shafi

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

SUPPLEMENT EDITOR Roy George

SUPPLEMENT CO-ORDINATORRocel Bautista

Philippines Independence Day

June 12, 2019

Philippines celebrates 121st Independence Day

TODAY, June 12, the Republic of The Philippines celebrates its 121st Independence Day with fervour and

festivities. The June 12 observance of the Independence Day came into effect after on August 4, 1964 the then President Diosdado Macapagal signed the Republic Act No.4166 that legalised the holiday, which is based on the Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898 by General Emilio Aguinaldo and Filipino revolutionary forces from the Spanish colonisation of 333years. Filipinos raised their

National Flag and played their Nantional Anthem for the first time in 1898.

But the liberty was short-lived as Spain and the United States, the colonial powers, did not recognise the declaration, but Spain also added the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.

Filipinos started a revolt against the United States in 1899 and achieved national sovereignty on July 4, 1946, through the Treaty of Manila.

The Independence Day celebrations begin with a ceremony in Manila and simultaneous raising

of the National Flag in various historical places across the nation. The Vin d’honneur ceremony at Malacanang Palace in honour of the holiday by the President and the state diplomatic corps is also part of the celebrations. The festivities begin in Manila’s Rizal Park or in selected historical

landmarks of the nation as the trend since 2011 in which the President, Vice-President, members of the Cabinet and Congress, members of government organisations and state employees, representatives of the uniformed services, uniformed youth r e p r e s e n t i n g d i f f e r e n t

organisations, veterans dignitaries and the general public take part. The National Flag is raised at 7am preceded by holiday honours by the Armed Forces of The Philippines to the President and followed by wreath laying ceremonies and the Presidential holiday address.

ADVERTISING CONTRIBUTORLove Lee Garcia

The Independence Day celebrations begin with a ceremony in Manila and simultaneous raising of the National Flag in various historical places across the nation. The Vin d’honneur ceremony at Malacanang Palace in honour of the holiday by the President and the state diplomatic corps is also part of the celebrations.

II

I JOIN the Filipinos in the State of Qatar in celebrating the anniversary of the 121 st proclamation of the Philippine Independence.

The strong efforts of the government to elevate the life of every Filipino is a fulfilment of the legacy of our forefathers, whose faith, valor and

patriotism bequeathed to us the blessings of freedom and independence.

The Kalayaan 2019 theme: “Tapang na Bayan, Mala-sakit sa Mamayan” reminds us to embody the courage fuelled by compassion for each other as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has said that we should cherish and protect our independence.

After one hundred one (121) years of Philippine Inde-pendence, the task of nation building continues. I wish to encourage all Filipinos in Qatar to support our government in its pursuit to create a strong Philippines by achieving a sustainable environment, a buoyant economy and enduring national security. Together, let us move forward and set aside our personal differences and individual interests. Let us stand as one nation to accomplish long lasting progress and realize our nation’s aspirations.

In this regard, the Philippine Embassy remains committed to promoting the welfare of the Fil-ipinos in Qatar, ensuring the delivery of good public service and enhancing relations with the host government by fostering cooperation in various fields. With these goals as its guideposts, the Embassy will continue to faithfully abide by its mandate and duty to our country and fellow Filipinos.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

ALAN L. TIMBAYANAmbassador

MESSAGES

Department of Foreign Affairs Kagawaran Ng Ugnayang Panlabas

Embassy of the Republic of The PhilippinesDOHA

121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence 12 June 2019

Mabuhay!

ON BEHALF of the women and men of the Department of Foreign Affairs, I greet all Fil-ipinos in every corner of the

world an auspicious celebration of the 121st anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.

As we remember our heroes who fought for our independence and paid the ultimate price for the freedom that we enjoy today, so we are reminded of our duty, in fact our honor, to protect and preserve Filipino freedom until the end of time.

Halfway through the term of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, let us recall “tapang at malasakit” - courage and compassion -his campaign battlecry. It is the theme for this year’’s celebration: “Kalayaan 2019: Courage of the Nation, Compassion for the People.”

These are the values of daily life the President has writ large in his governance to serve our countrymen, whatever their station in life may be, and wherever they may be in the world. These are also the values that sustain the resolve of the Government to beat corruption, criminality, illegal drugs, and other social ills. They are manifest in the political stability and economic progress that we doubtless enjoy today.

Courage and compassion are also what our dedicated personnel of the Philippine foreign service demonstrate, when we vigorously pursue our independent foreign policy, when we work with other nations to benefit our country and the world, when we protect the dignity of our motherland in the international community, and when we unselfishly help our fellow Filipinos in distress.

Courage, as they say, is not the absence of fear, but to act in spite of such fear. Our foreign service is confronted with a myriad of daunting challenges, but we push and strive,

as with the President and the whole Government, to serve our people with all our might with com-passion. For they deserve no less, they who sacrifice each day, too.

Today. as in the days to come, it is my hope that we - those in the foreign service, overseas Filipinos, and each Filipino for that matter - will all continue to work together, with courage and compassion, to overcome our struggles, in order to uplift our families, to secure and better our communities, and to unite for the progress of our country.

Have a meaningful and joyful celebration of our Araw ng Kalayaan. Mabuhay

TEODORO L LOCSIN, JRSecretary of Foreign Affairs

III

AS a culminating activity for Women’s Month, the Philippine Embassy in

Doha held a Forum on Maxi-mizing Women Potential at St. Regis in Doha, Qatar on March 30, 2019.

The Forum focused on gender empowerment through lectures given by Embassy Welfare Officer Evelyn C. Lar-anang on financial management and by Rumaillah Hospital Exec-utive Director of Nursing Mariam Nooh Al Mutawa on psycho-

logical wellness. Ambassador to Qatar Alan L.

Timbayan informed the audience how the Philippines has been vigorous in its cam-paign to promote equal oppor-tunities for women at the national and international levels.

He cited the recent Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in December 2018 that saw the Philippines as one of the most gender equal countries in the world by placing eighth out of

149 countries surveyed.“The Philippines believes in

the role of its women citizens and how they greatly contribute to the morals of society and nation-building. We honor them today through this Forum,” Ambassador Timbayan added.

The Forum was attended by Philippine Embassy in Qatar staff and officials, and the Phil-ippine Overseas Labor Office, and members of the Filipino community in Qatar.

Women’s month marked with Forum on Maximizing Women Potential

From left: Ambassador to Qatar Alan L Timbayan, Consul General Roussel R Reyes, Vice-Consul Benjamin A Celedio, Jr, Welfare Officer Evelyn C Laranang, and Rumaillah Hospital Executive Director Mariam Nooh Al Mutawa, during the celebrations.

THE ASEAN Committee in Doha (ACD), in part-nership with St. Regis

Doha, successfully launched the week-long ASEAN Food Festival (AFF) at the Vine Restaurant in St. Regis Doha on February 28, 2018.

The dinner launch featured a wide selection of signature dishes and cuisines from ASEAN member-states with missions to Qatar. The cool night breeze of the winter season comple-mented the outdoor dining experience of guests from the diplomatic community, the gov-ernment and private sectors, and the media.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Ambassador Nguyen Dinh Tao, as the current ACD chair, welcomed guests to the

Festival.Guests were introduced to a

wide array of authentic ASEAN cuisine ranging from appetizers to main courses and desserts, specially prepared by visiting chefs from ASEAN and in-house chefs of the hotel.

The guests were also mes-merized by the various cultural performances during the night, including the cultural number

performed by the Philippine International School Doha.

Adding extra attraction to the launching of the Food Fes-tival is its timing, as it was rolled out during the special barbeque night of the Vine Restaurant.

The ACD is made up of the embassies of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philip-pines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

ASEAN Food Festival tickles visitors’ taste budsThe dinner launch featured a wide selection of signature dishes and cuisines from ASEAN member-states with missions to Qatar. The cool night breeze of the winter season complemented the outdoor dining experience of guests from the diplomatic community, the government and private sectors, and the media.

A dance troupe from the Philippine International

School Doha performs Sayaw sa Bangko during the ASEAN

Food Festival.

FARMERS and micro-, small- and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines can e x p e c t m o r e

marketing and business support from the government with the launch of the Rural Agro-enter-prise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) project.

RAPID Growth is a 4.7bn-peso value chain-based and market-driven business devel-opment initiative that aims to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic development for rural farming communities in the country. It is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and funded by the International Fund for Agricul-tural Development (IFAD).

Led by DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, RAPID Growth project was kicked off in the first day of IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA on May 24 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, Pasay City.

“RAPID Growth project goes to the heart of what we are doing at DTI: linking farmers and busi-nesses,” said Lopez. “And by pro-moting the microenterprises or those in the bottom of the pyramid, we are empowering the nation.”

“IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA is an excellent platform to present this momentous project due to the presence of local and international food companies which can be potential partners and forward linkages to the export market in the agricultural value chains to be developed,” said Lopez.

Through RAPID Growth project, Lopez said that DTI is looking to address rural poverty and unemployment by building partnership between MSMEs and farming communities to produce products that are competitive and enjoy a high demand in the global market.

Held at the launch was the signing of the pledge of com-mitment by the Project Steering Committee for RAPID Growth project composed of leaders and representatives from the gov-ernment, agricultural, trade, finance and private sectors.

IFAD Country Director Ales-sandro Marini said poor families from local communities now have a better chance to increase their income level, improve their social status and participate in the global value chain since RAPID Growth makes the agri-enterprise ecosystem “more inclusive and competitive.”

According to Lopez, RAPID Growth project is different from all other agri-based development programs since it focuses on a

market-driven approach where the MSMEs are the entry point to develop the value chain from agricultural production side to processing, distribution and marketing.

The country’s trade chief also emphasized that RAPID Growth project will link local farmers, MSMEs and corporations through Negosyo Centers and other market interventions to ensure their access to raw materials, markets, technology and suitable investment finance.

“Increasing the production of our small farmers will helped them grow alongside our bur-geoning manufacturing sector, prepare them for the global market and provide much-needed boost to our MSMEs in the food business,” he explained.

Elevating PH’s agri priority sectors are coffee, cacao, coco coir and processed fruits and nuts.

RAPID Growth project is sets to target small farmers and micro-entrepreneurs engaged within the selected commodity chains, further targeting unem-ployed and underemployed rural women and men. Special focus will be on women, youth and indigenous people.

According to DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, RAPID Growth will primarily target four agri-cultural value chains, namely cocoa, coffee, processed fruits and nuts, and coconut.

“These four commodities have lucrative markets, social features and have the potential to provide sustained economic benefits to small farmers and

enterprises,” Lopez said.It is set to be initially imple-

mented in six regions, which are regions eight to 13 with 20 target provinces. This includes Leyte, Southern Leyte and Northern Samar from Region 8; Zam-boanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay from Region 9; Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental from Region 10; Compostela Valley, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental from Region 11; North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao from Region 12 or ARMM; and Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur from Region 13.

Five components in trans-

forming PH agri-enterprisesUnder the RAPID Growth

project, five levels of interven-tions will be implemented to ensure the holistic development of farmer and MSME benefici-aries, namely:

Direct Assistance to Enter-prises -To strengthen comple-mentary activities necessary to boost investments along the four commodity value chains. This includes the provision of condi-tional matching grants and part-nership/coordination for the rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads to improve the connec-tivity of production areas in intended markets.

Institutional Strengthening - To intensify the promotion of MSMEs and farmer in the four

commodity value chains. The interventions include the estab-lishment of provincial networks of Negosyo Centers to also serve as one-stop-shops; development of MEs and cooperatives as service hubs to provide basic services to farmers; facilitation of inclusive and equitable part-nerships between farmers and SMEs; and, capacity building of LGUs on the supervision of FMR rehabilitation.

Technical Assistance to Financial Service Providers (FSPs) - To provide capacity building to companies that provide accessible financial products and services. This includes consultancy for FSPs, capacity building for coopera-tives and support to Agricultural Guarantee Fund Pool (AGFP) and Philippine Crop Insurance Cor-poration (PCIC), among others.

Innovation Fund - To provide incentives to private equity and venture capital firms to finance SME capital require-ments. This will include inno-vative financial instruments as an alternative to simple loan products and develop non-loan products and services, among others.

Management, Monitoring and Evaluation - To implement an approach that will feature public-private partnerships, embedding project management in DTI and building capacities of

public and private partners, among others.

The RAPID Growth Project was proposed to directly address policy commitments of the Phil-ippine Government aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are of high rel-evance in eliminating poverty and reducing inequality.

Anchored in the govern-ment’s ‘Pagbabago’ pillar, this project seeks to address the Phil-ippine Development Plan 2017-2022 target outcomes which are (1) expanding economic oppor-tunities and (2) increasing access to economic opportunities including smallholder farmers and fisherfolks.

Likewise, through this project, the DTI is set to prior-itize the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as the key pillar of its economic program. This approach will facilitate collaboration among public agencies in supporting agriculture-based enterprises and synergies among stake-holders. DTI’s capacity to broker cross-sectoral synergies and partnerships will be upgraded at national, regional and provincial levels.

The project is funded by IFAD through a combination of Loan and Grant; Government of the Philippines (GoP); Local Gov-ernment Units (LGUs); Financial Service Providers (FSP).

RAPID growth project to transform agri-based PHL enterprises for global markets

Representatives from the sectors of trade, agriculture and finance converge at the launch of RAPID Growth project in the first day of IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA on May 24, 2019, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. BELOW: DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez addressing buyers, exhibitors, visitors and members of the media on the market-drive model and long-term prospects of RAPID Growth project.

RAPID Growth is a 4.7bn-peso value chain-based and market-driven business development initiative that aims to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic development for rural farming communities in the country. It is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

IV

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V

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) serves the country’s bread and butter on the tail-end of the Kain

Na! Food & Travel Festival as it bolsters the country’s reputation as one of the world’s gastronomy hubs.

“Showcasing the skill, talent, and creativity of our local chefs, many of them world-renowned, Kain Na! also serves to inspire budding culinary artisans to strengthen our position as a gas-tronomy hub in this side of the world,” said DOT Secretary Ber-nadette Romulo-Puyat.

Under the leadership of Sec-retary Romulo-Puyat, the DOT

launched ‘Kain Na!’ in the pro-motion of the Philippine culinary culture and tradition, the region’s richly-diverse authentic cuisine, as well as numerous culinary destinations all over the country.

“Through Kain Na!, we not only convey an invitation for guests to sample our local dishes but also showcase our own Fil-ipino brand of friendliness and hospitality. Food will always be a top-of-mind consideration in the places we visit. It is in the daily itineraries of our tourists and comprise a third of total traveller expenditure.”

The Tourism Chief explained that the series of events, held in partnership with the Ayala Malls,

aims to promote distinct regional Filipino cuisine, as well as tourism destinations. Two simul-taneous events were launched in Legazpi City, Albay and Cebu City last October while the launch in Cagayan de Oro was done in November.

“Today, we are doing this simultaneously with Pampanga and Laguna. On December 19, we expect a warm welcome in Bacolod, and in the next year, we will continue this in the other regions” , Puyat announced.

Puyat likewise thanked Pres-ident Rodrigo Duterte, “It is, of course, a bonus that during my stint in the DA (Department of Agriculture up until my

appointment to the DOT (Department of Tourism), that our President was a staunch ally in this advocacy to promote our food and help our farmers.”

“I am truly pleased with your efforts to ensue the success of this food and travel festival, which highlights the Philippines

as the centre of food and gas-tronomy in the world,” said Pres-ident Rodrigo Duterte during his speech.

Exhibitors will include hotels and restaurants, farm resorts, agro industry groups, eco-farm adventure parks, transport oper-ators, and academe.

The local tourism offices will present specialty food products, coffee, vegetables, juices, hand-icrafts, and culinary tour packages.

Puyat added, “I’d like to invite everyone to gather your family and friends alike on a trip around the country. Together, let us all rediscover the beauty and diversity of our nation through a gastronomic journey. After all, isn’t it true that food tastes better when in good company? ‘Food trip,’ as we Filipinos love to say, is def-initely “more fun in the Philippines!”

THIS year, Filipino food and chefs have been getting rave reviews and international

recognition for their culinary technique, creativity and usage of local ingredients.

National Geographic has listed Filipino food as one of the top food trends in 2019 with the food rave on Filipino-led eateries across the globe such as Washington DC’s Bad Saint and LA’s Lasa in the United States, as well as London-based restos Filishack, The Adobros and Mamasons’ in the United Kingdom.

Filipino-American chef Tom Cunanan of Bad Saint finally won as the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic at the James Beard Awards, which is considered the “Oscars” of the culinary world.

Meanwhile, Toyo Eatery, led by Filipino culinary star Jordy Navarra, has recently entered the list of prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 as the only Philippine entry at rank 43.

As the world craves for Fil-ipino cuisine, it begs a question: what is next for Philippine food?

“The next step for Filipino food is to channel all of its culinary technique, wealth of ingredients and traditions from a global sensation to actually become a mainstream staple on dining menus all over the

world,” shared Pauline Suaco-Juan, the executive director of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

CITEM is the export pro-motion arm of the Department

of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the agency that is mandated to promote Philippine food in dif-ferent international exhibits in UAE, US, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, China and many more.

“The complexities and

diverse flavors of our home-grown dishes are now being unraveled to the global audience thanks to the bril-liance of Filipino chefs and res-taurants abroad with their refined culinary techniques and choice of quality Asian ingre-dients, as well as the Philippine food exhibits overseas,” Suaco-Juan said.

“Now is an exciting time for Philippine food. Our local cuisine is rising in the world of food and we want to push for Filipino food products, dishes and ingredients to become the next big Asian trend,” she added.

This statement comes a day before CITEM opens its gate to thousands of local and interna-tional food buyers and culinary influencers to check out what’s the next big thing in Asian food in IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM), Pasay City from 24-26 May 2019.

According to Suaco-Juan, IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD

ASIA seeks to answer the question “What’s NXT in the world of FOOD?” by giving exhibitors from the Philippines and beyond a platform to showcase premium food exports, emerging trends, best practices, and industry inno-vations to the world’s biggest buyers.

A highlight of the event is the showcase of the country’s “Premium 7” export products, namely banana, coconut, coffee, cacao, mango, pine-apple and tuna. Foodies attending the event can also relish dishes or products made with the “Rising Stars of Fil-ipino food,” which include ube, calamansi, turmeric (luyang dilaw), moringa (malunggay), muscovado rice and heirloom rice, among others.

“International foodies and chefs across the globe are wel-comed to see, taste and expe-rience the wealth of ingredients in the Philippines and see how they can use it in their own l o c a l d i s h e s , ” s a i d Suaco-Juan.

“We cannot wait to show the world what makes Filipino food a champion. We want the world to know that when it comes to food, the best in taste and quality can be found in the Philippines,” she added.

Islands on a Plate cele-brates Philippine food

As the country’s biggest export-oriented food show, IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA is taking foodies all over the world in a gastronomic feast of Filipino flavors in the Islands on a Plate special setting.

This special setting will feature the heirloom cuisines and iconic food products from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with the inclusion of a Halal Pavilion, One Town One Product (OTOP) Pavilion and a Seafood Pavilion by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

It shall also have a special pavilion for food producers hailing from Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN, as well as the provinces of Negros Occidental,

Misamis Oriental and Taguig City.

“Foodies will be able to taste and get an intimate knowledge on the roots of the country’s most popular dishes and delicacies across the regions straight from the some of the same culinary minds who have made those iconic and part of Filipino culinary tra-d i t i o n , ” e x p l a i n e d Suaco-Juan.

Last May 16, CITEM held a media preview of the Islands on a Plate at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) for the media and government to give a sneak peek on the fresh rebrand and the latest addition in IFEX Phil-ippines NXTFOOD ASIA.

To highlight the use of the Philippines’ Premium 7 and the Rising Star of Filipino food, CITEM invited selected members of the media in an exclusive 12-course merienda cena dining experience pre-sented with Via Mare and Chef Bea Nitard ingredients.

Included in the lineup of dishes were rustic bibingka, pirurutong bumbong, open-faced mango and premium red tuna salad, calamansi sherbet with pomelo bits; Cebuanong alimasag ala brandade gratinee; Batangas turmeric rice with chicken inasal; taba ng talangka with roasted kinurat rice; and champoradong waray with danggit. Also served for des-serts were crème emperatrice, turon with chocolate and caramel filling, tropical fruit cake flambe and spicy choc-olate ginger bombs.

“The abundance, diversity and flexibility of our local ingre-dients make the Philippines one of the best sources of food products and culinary inspira-tions in the world. You really just have to be at IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA to see, taste and experience it,” she added.

This year’s edition of IFEX Philippines is co-organized with the DTI’s the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSMED) Council, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Exporters C o n f e d e r a t i o n , I n c . (PHILEXPORT).

VI

Puyat pushes PHL as global food hub with Kain Na!

From trend to mainstream: Philippines rises in world of food

I am truly pleased with your efforts to ensue the success of this food and travel festival, which highlights the Philippines as the centre of food and gastronomy in the world,” said President Rodrigo Duterte during his speech.

THE Philippine Embassy in Doha participated in the celebration of the Qatar National Sports

Day in simultaneous events held at the Diplomatic Club and Qatar Tennis Federation on 12 February 2019.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, hosted a yearly morning gathering for the diplomatic corps and members of their family at the Diplomatic Club.

The event offered various sporting events, fitness and rec-reational activities as well as attractions, such as a photo booth

for falcons and camel rides.Embassy officers and staff,

along in with students from the Philippine International School Qatar, participated in Qatar Tennis Federation’s Sports Day celebrations. They show-cased arnis and some Filipino indigenous games such as tumbang preso, pat-intero and piko to Qatar’s cit-izens, residents and young Fili-pinos who were not familiar with the said games.

The National Sports Day is a unique initiative by the Qatari Government, which is dedicated to highlighting the importance of sports, socialization and camaraderie in the lives of its residents.

Embassy takes part in Qatar National Sport Day activities

RIGHT: Filipino children play tumbang preso. BELOW: Philippine Embassy in Doha personnel engage in fitness activities.

WITH the aim of helping empower overseas Filipinos in

Qatar and provide them with an opportunity to enter government service, the Phil-ippine Embassy in Doha, in cooperation with the Civil Service Commission of the Phil-ippines, conducted the first-ever Career Service Exami-nation-Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) for Professional and Sub-Professional levels in Doha, Qatar, on October 12, 2018.

A total of 397 Filipinos took the Civil Service examinations. 364 examinees took the Pro-fessional Examination while 33 examinees took the Sub-Pro-fessional Examination that was held in the Philippine Interna-tional School-Qatar.

This initiative of the Phil-ippine Embassy in Doha, headed by Ambassador Alan L

Timbayan, was supported by the Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Sil-vestre H Bello III and Special Assistant to the President, Sec-retary Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T Go.

The conduct of the exam-ination in Qatar, which hosts more than 256,000 Filipino, will also help strengthen the government’s reintegration program by way of offering suitable alternative to overseas employment.

The Career Service Profes-sional Eligibility, which will be given to those who will pass the professional level exami-nation, may be used for both first level and second level positions which do not involve the practice of profession. On the other hand, the Career Service Sub-Professional Eli-gibility, is appropriate only for first level (clerical) positions.

Hundreds take Civil Service exam in QatarA total of 397 Filipinos took the Civil Service examinations. 364 examinees took the Professional Examination while 33 examinees took the Sub-Professional Examination.

VII

AS a show of appreci-ation for the country’s unwavering support for the Filipino migrants in

the country, the Philippine Embassy in Doha and the Phil-ippine Overseas Labor Office in Qatar, in cooperation with Qatar government, organised the “Hatid Saya: Thank You, Qatar”.

The event was the Filipino com-munity celebration of the Qatar National Day, which was held at the Aspire Ladies Sports Hall on December 18, 2018. Coinciding with the celebration of the International Migrants Day, Chargé d’affaires Roussel R Reyes, on behalf of Ambassador to Qatar Alan L Tim-bayan, conveyed the appreciation

of the Philippines for Qatar’s hosting of some 256,000 Filipino workers who stand to benefit from the latest labor reforms being implemented by Qatar.

Over the years, Qatar has continually promoted the welfare and dignity of Filipino workers in Qatar and recognized their val-uable contribution to the coun-try’s national development.

As part of the nationwide festivities, Qatar government

officials graced the occasion and participated in the event. Deputy Minister and Labor Sector Chairman H E Mohamed Hassan Al Obaidly, Assistant Under-Sec-retary for Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs and Nasser bin Abdullah Al Nasser of Al Nasr Star Group attended the celebration. They were joined by other officials from the Ministry of

Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA), Ministry of Interior (MOI), Labor Attachés from Indonesia, Nepal and Bang-ladesh, and ILO Head Project in Qatar Houtan Homayounpour.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Admin-istrator Arnell Ignacio and Miss Scuba International 2nd runner up Noelle Fuentes Uy Tuazon, hosted the community segment

which showcased cultural pres-entations, musical and dance extravaganza from local Filipino talents in Qatar.

Celebrity guests from the Philippines, Maja Salvador and Nico Antonio, capped the cele-bration with lively performances and interactive engagement with the audience. Filipinos were also treated to surprise raffle prizes from the event partner, Al Nasr Star Group of companies.

Embassy in Doha joins Qatar National Day festivities

Overseas Workers Welfare Deputy Administrator Arnaldo Ignacio, Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs Deputy Minister and Chairman of the Labor Sector, Mohamad Hassan Al Obaidly, and Al Nasr Star Group owner Nasser Bin Abdullah Al-Nasser led the ceremonial cake cutting to mark the occasion.

ABOVE: Roussel Reyes and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Consul General Administrator Arnaldo Ignacio awarded tokens of appreciation to Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs Deputy Minister H E Mohamad Hassan Al Obaidly and Nasser bin Abdullah Al Nasser of Al Nasr Star Group. BELOW: OWWA Deputy Administrator Arnaldo Ignacio and Noelle Fuentes Uy Tuazon, Miss Scuba International 2nd Runner Up, hosted the community program segment.

THE Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY), under the baton of young Venezuelan

composer Joshua Dos Santos, performed to a capacity crowd composed of members of the diplomatic corps, business sectors, members of the Filipino Community, and local audiences at the Katara Opera House in Doha, Qatar on October 26, 2018.

The concert was a cultural diplomacy initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs under the Office of the Under-secretary for International Eco-nomic Relations, in cooperation with Ang Misyon Inc. (AMI) and the Philippine Embassy in Doha.

Composed of 69 young music scholars from the Philip-pines aged 11 to 24 years, orchestra members came mostly from underprivileged families.

“The Orchestra of the Fil-ipino Youth is the main per-forming arm of Ang Misyon or The Mission, a non-profit organ-ization based in the Philippines which believes in the trans-formative power of music in bringing about social change. Ang Misyon helps talented young musicians, especially those who come from under-privileged families, to hone their potential through the pursuit of classical music,” Ambassador to Doha Alan L Timbayan said.

The Manila-based orchestra captivated the audience with their astounding performance of the 35-minute Symphony No. 12 “The Year 1917” by Dmitri Shostakovich, Nabucco Overture by Giuseppe Verdi, Batuque by Oscar Lorenzo Fernández, Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez, Mambos by Eugenio Toussaint and a wonderful

rendition of the Filipino classic “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko” by Rey Valera.

The Katara Opera House, which has a 430-seating capacity concert, reverberated

with resounding applause for the outstanding performance of the youth orchestra who indulged the audience with three encore performances after extended applause.

Orchestra of The Filipino Youth plays to a full house in Qatar

The concert was a cultural diplomacy initiative, in which 69 young music scholars from the Philippines aged 11 to 24 years, came mostly from underprivileged families performed.

Conductor Joshua Dos Santos leads the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth’s stellar performance. INSET: Ambassador to Qatar Alan L Timbayan welcomes concert goers.

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THE Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group (ROFG) left foreign and local audience mesmerised

during a performance dubbed as “Indayog ng Pilipinas: A showcase of Philippine Folkloric Dances” held at the Drama Theatre of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation in Doha, Qatar on April 14, 2019.

The 15-member dance troupe, which is one of the leading resident dance com-panies of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, regaled the audience with a repertoire of 13

Philippine ethnic dances per-formed to the tune of ethnic and tribal music, which was played live using Philippine traditional instruments like agong, ban-dorya, dabakan, gabang, gand-ingan, gitara, kulintang, octavina, sarunay, and singkil.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassdor to Qatar Alan L Tim-bayan shared with the audience how the Philippine geographic make-up as an archipelago of 7,107 islands has strongly con-tributed to the evolution of diverse Philippine ethnic dances that are unique to each region

and province in the country.On the sidelines, the ROFG

also conducted dance workshops at the Katara and performed a mini-cultural show at the Phil-ippine International School Qatar (PISQ) on April 15 and 16, respectively.

The visit of the ROFG in Doha was made possible through the collaboration between the Phil-ippine Embassy in Doha, as part of its cultural diplomacy program, the National Com-mission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), as part of its Sentro Rizal program, and the Katara.

Ramon Obusan folkloric group wows Doha audience

TO show their solidarity and support to the host government, the Philippine Embassy in Doha together with the Filipino

Community in Qatar participated in the Friendship Parade, one of the many pre-event activities in the run-up to the cele-bration of Qatar National Day on December 18, 2018.

Coming in their Filipiniana and Malong attire, Embassy and Filipino community representatives mimicked the San-tacruzan procession in the Philippines

during the parade, much to the delight of spectators.

As the Philippine parade group marched and waived the Philippine and Qatar flags, they also sang and chanted Filipino songs such as “Pinoy Ako”, “Piliin Mo Ang Pili-pinas”, and “Leron, Leron Sinta.”

Organised by the Qatar Cultural and Events Heritage Centre at the grounds of the International Khalifa Stadium on December 17, 2018, the event also show-cased cultural performances and country booths of expatriate communities in Qatar.

Santacruzan procession adds color to Qatar’s Friendship ParadeOrganised by the Qatar Cultural and Events Heritage Centre at the grounds of the International Khalifa Stadium on December 17, 2018, the event also showcased cultural performances and country booths of expatriate communities in Qatar.

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The folklore group performs during the “Indayog ng Pilipinas: A showcase of Philippine Folkloric Dances” evening.

Delectable, decadent and delicious.

These are just some of the flavors that describe the country’s chocolates and cacao-based products, which are being showcased from

May 24 to 26 at the Philippine Cacao Pavilion in IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD

ASIA at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, Pasay City.

“Buyers and visitors from major target markets abroad were delighted with heavenly treats by makers of cacao—also known as the ‘Food of the Gods’—at the Philippine Cacao Pavilion,” said Pauline Suaco-Juan, the Executive Director of the Center for

International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the organizer of the event.

Here are the newest Filipino choc-olates spotted at the Philippine Cacao Pavilion:

Minimally processed cacao helps fight against cancer, cardiovascular & kidney diseases, stress and anxiety. It

is good for the brain, heart, blood and skin.

Cacao is one of the Philippines’ “Premium 7” export products and has been produced in the country since the 17th century. The Premium 7 exports include coconut, coffee, banana, pine-apple, mango and tuna.

All of the three varieties of cacao

beans are present and grown in the country. The majority of cocoa beans produced are mid-value Trinitario beans. Criollo beans, which are mainly from older trees, have lower yield but are still being produced while higher value varieties of Forastero beans are beginning to be planted in some local farms.

New Filipino chocolate treats at IFEX Philippines NXTFOOD ASIA

Arabica Chocolates by Dulche Chocolates

Bringing the first chocolate brand from Benguet, Dulche Chocolates offers in its Arabica Chocolates two of the best Philippine agri-commodities from the highlands: coffee and cacao. This bitter-sweet concoction is a perfect treat for coffee lovers.

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Pili Choc by MS3 Choco

Another energizing offering under the Philippine cacao pavilion is the Pili Choc by MS3 Choco made from premium cacao combined with pili nuts which are a significant source of essential minerals, proteins and vitamins.

Dark Chocolate Nibs with Cranberries by Chocoloco

Cacao nibs are basically the purest form of chocolate that give you more cacao bean health benefits since it undergoes less processing stages. With its Dark Chocolate Nibs, Chocoloco uses fermented cacao beans which are then perfectly roasted, cracked and coated with premium organic coconut sap sugar.

Tangy Granola with Green Mango and Cacao Nibs by Wit’s Sweets and Savouries

Wit’s Sweets and Savouries prepared its Tangy Granola by combining mood-boosting cacao nibs with the tangy flavor of g reen mangoes to give an energizing and palatable flavor in every bite. Aside from tangy, granolas are also available in classic tasty, spicy, zesty and in coffee flavors.

100% Cacao Bar by Chocoliz/Saret Organic Farmville

This new offering by Chocoliz is a sugar-free, guilt-free, dark choc-oloate-tasting candy bar made with organic cacao grown in Luzon by Saret Organic Farmville. This choc-olate bar undergoes minimal processing to retain the natural health benefits of cacao.

68% Dark Chocolate - Mango by Auro Chocolates

Auro Chocolates presents a new experience to enjoy Philippine-sourced chocolate and mango with 100 percent of the fruit but without the added sugar. Each piece of this new product is carefully freeze dried to a crisp, giving eve-ryone the crunch and none of the oil.

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) reported a 7.59 percent increase in

tourist arrivals to the Phil-ippines in the first quarter of 2019, indicating that the country’s tourism “is on the right track.”

According to figures released by the DOT, around 2,204,564 foreign visitors arrived in the country from January to March 2019, reflecting a 7.59 percent rise from 2,049,094 over the same period last year.

“The DOT is working on enhancing our tourism products and tourism infrastructure to entice tourists to choose the Phil-ippines as their

next destination,” DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said.

South Korea remains the top source market with 519,584 tourist arrivals compared to last year’s 477,087.

The period also saw the Chinese market ranking second with 463,804 tourists, 24.87 percent higher than the previous year’s tally of 371,429. In third spot is the United States, registering 293,780 visitors, up by 3.10 percent from last year.

Taiwanese visitors posted the highest per-centage increase which grew to 77,908 from 59,877 in 2018 or 30.11 percent higher than last year.

Completing the top 12 markets for the three-month period are: Japan, 177,769; Taiwan, 77,908; Australia, 73,147; Canada, 72,352; United Kingdom, 53,402; Singapore, 39,484; Malaysia, 37,651; India, 36,275; and Germany, 33,725.

For March numbers alone, the DOT reported a visitor arrival of 714,309 or an 11.13 percent growth versus the same month last year.

“Notably, France entered the top 12 for the month of March, posting 10,715 visitors, a 26.21 percent growth from last year’s March tally of 8,489 while Germany rose to 11th place with 11,075 visitors, sporting a 9 percent

increase,” the DOT said.Germany nudged India

to 13th place, with a total of 10,086, up slightly with a 1.52 percent increase vis-a-vis 9,935 of last year.

Meanwhile, visiting Philippine passport-holders permanently residing abroad (not including overseas Filipino workers), otherwise known as “balikbayans,” totalled 14,610 as of March.

Puyat attributed the growth in numbers of vis-itors to the rehabilitated Boracay Island, touted as a model of sustainable tourism development, as it continues to attract tourists since its reopening in October last year.

The DOT chief also

credited improved connec-tivity for the upward trend in tourist arrivals to the country.

In her recent speech, Puyat said the DOT remains committed with its objective to establish the Philippines as a “quality destination” in the region. “For that, we need to be able to prioritise the following: adequate infrastructure, ease in travel facilitation, safety and security and developed tourism areas,” she said.

“To ensure that we get these done, the DOT is implementing a conver-gence approach where the Department works in partnership with other national government agencies,” she added.

PHL tourist arrivals up by 7.59% in Q1 2019“The DOT is working on enhancing our tourism products and tourism infrastructure to entice tourists to choose the Philippines as their next destination,” DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said.

ASIDE from responsible development of destina-tions, the Philippines’

sustainable tourism is centred on investing in people, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

These include the workers and stakeholders who will lead not only in promoting the coun-try’s natural resources and her-itage sites but also advocating ways to sustainably maintain these destinations

“It’s about developing a des-tination not only for the eco-nomic gains it will bring today, but for the benefit of the gener-ations that will come after,” she said in a speech during the Tourism Summit 2019 in Manila.

“Sustainable tourism is also

about investing in people, pro-viding training and the proper tools to raise our workers’ capacity and capability,” she noted.

Romulo-Puyat said the DOT continues to empower Filipino tourism workers in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Tourism Industry Board Foun-dation Inc. (TIBFI).

“Together we are forming a network of master trainers who can exchange knowledge and teach potential employees in the housekeeping, food production, food and beverage services, and front office labour divisions,” she said.

The tourism industry has

provided a huge contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and opened up opportunities for more Filipinos.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the sector alone contributed 12.2 percent to the country’s GDP in 2017, which translates to 1.929 trillion pesos earnings and a boost to the Philippine economy.

In the same year, 13.1 percent of the Philippines total employment was directly attributed to the industry -- at least 5.3 million jobs for Filipinos.

“That fact alone is enough inspiration for all of us here to make that number even higher,” Romulo-Puyat said.

Austainable tourism invests in destinations, people: DOT

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