MANILA 22 March 2023 – The DFA Office of ASEAN Affairs echoes ASEAN’s call for nominations to the ASEAN Prize 2023, a prestigious award that confers recognition to three individuals and two organizations with significant contributions in ASEAN Community-building.

Nominations are open from 20 February 2023 to 28 April 2023. Aside from the recognition, awardees will receive a trophy and monetary prize of US$20,000.

To qualify as a Philippine candidate, the nominee must comply with the following requirements:

• Must be a Filipino citizen or an organization created/led by the Philippines;
• Must show verifiable achievements in promoting intra-ASEAN collaboration and the impact on ASEAN;
• Must share future plans in continuing their work after winning the Prize; and
• Must be supported by one character reference attesting to the nominee’s suitability to receive the ASEAN Prize.
• Self-nominations and posthumous submissions will not be considered.

The ASEAN Prize is now on its 6th edition and continues to celebrate persons and organizations who have progressively driven the region towards harmony and sustainable development, and whose determination and perseverance have been instrumental in building a stronger ASEAN identity.

Interested applicants may also wish to follow the ASEAN Prize social media accounts on Facebook (@aseanprize) and Instagram (@aseanprize). The ASEAN Secretariat regularly provides updates

MANILA 23 March 2023 – The Philippines and Croatia successfully concluded their 4th Political Consultations in Manila on 20 March 2023, with both countries agreeing to boost their existing long-standing partnership by developing new areas of cooperation. The Philippine and Croatian delegations were led by Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Director General for Political Affairs Petar Mihatov, respectively.

Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro (5th from left), Ambassador-designate Evangelina Lourdes “Luli” Arroyo-Bernas (4th from left), Director General for Political Affairs Petar Mihatov of the Croatian Foreign Ministry (4th from left), Croatian Ambassador to the Philippines Nebojša Koharović, with residency in Indonesia (3rd from left) are joined by their respective delegations for the 4th PH-HR Political Consultations. (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)

The consultations were held as both countries prepare to commemorate the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations this year.

During the meeting, the Philippines advocated for further cooperation in, labor, science, technology and innovation, education, tourism, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and in the Defense and Maritime sectors. It was also announced that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the University of Zagreb and the Far Eastern University to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries.

In-depth discussions also took place regarding ASEAN-EU and PH-EU relations, along with developments in the West Philippine Sea, human rights and respect for the rule of law. The Philippines and Croatia reaffirmed the importance of a rules-based multilateral order.

In addition, there was a frank exchange of views regarding regional security concerns and perspectives on the situation in Ukraine and its implications in Europe and in Asia.

At the end of the consultations, both the Philippines and Croatia hoped that future meetings will follow as they serve as a platform for communication between the two nations and offer substantial prospects for enhancing productive collaboration to achieve shared objectives. END

BELITUNG 23 March 2023 – The Philippines and other ASEAN Member States called for consultation with relevant stakeholders in order to craft an ASEAN Vision and its Strategic Plans that are inclusive, pragmatic, balanced, and comprehensive. Following this suggestion, the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV) invited the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to the 7th Meeting of the HLTF-ACV, which was held on 19-20 March 2023 at Belitung, Indonesia.

During the Meeting, the Philippines also called for bold institutional reforms including addressing issues and updates in the ASEAN Charter to reflect the many achievements that ASEAN has accomplished over the years and to strengthen the mechanisms and processes of the ASEAN of the future

The stakeholders’ representatives emphasized the need to mainstream their respective areas of concern, including human rights, biodiversity, ease of doing business and the development of an agile system that will withstand rapid and unexpected shocks and megatrends that will confront ASEAN in the future.

AICHR Indonesia Representative Yuyun Wahyuningrum emphasized the importance of placing human rights concern at the heart of ASEAN and developing a strong human rights ecosystem, by systematically considering human rights perspectives in various regional issues, such as climate change and Women, Peace and Security.

ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim urged the HLTF-ACV to mainstream biodiversity, which has sociocultural, economic and even political components, in the former’s work considering that the ASEAN region contains 25% of the world’s flora and fauna.

ABAC Alternate Chairperson Bernardino M. Vega pointed out that there is a huge potential for ASEAN’s business communities and private sector to cooperate, and emphasized the need for governments to work together to ensure ease of doing business across ASEAN Member States.

Finally, ERIA Senior Economic Adviser Aladdin Rillo emphasized that ASEAN can no longer follow the business-as usual model and repeat what it is doing now, nor afford to work in silos, and underlined the need to address cross pillar coordination. He proposed changes in the mandate and function of the ASEAN Secretariat and the Secretary General.

In anticipation of these megatrends and challenges, Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Eminent Person to the HLTF-ACV of the Philippines, called upon her colleagues to boldly address the most difficult issues with courage and honesty knowing that an agile and responsive ASEAN can manage whatever complicated and unforeseen shocks and megatrends that will confront the future ASEAN.

Ambassador Buensuceso was joined by Ambassador Luis T. Cruz, the Philippines’ High-Level Representative to the HLTF-ACV in the meeting.

Timor-Leste joined the Meeting for the first time as an observer.

ASEAN aims to finalize the Vision statement and its Strategic Plans for adoption by ASEAN leaders in 2025. The HLTF-ACV agreed on a 20-year time frame for the Vision, and that the Vision will include ASEAN’s responses to the megatrends and challenges facing ASEAN 20 years from 2025. The structure of the Post-2025 Vision will expand on the current ASEAN community pillars to include Connectivity and other cross-pillar issues. END

Ambassador Buensuceso with the stakeholders’ representatives: (L-R) ACB’s Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Ambassador Buensuceso AICHR Indonesia Representative Yuyun Wahyuningrum, ERIA Senior Economic Adviser Alladin Rillo, and ABAC Alternate Chairperson Bernardino

Ambassador Buensuceso with the Philippine delegation to the 7th Meeting of the HLTF-ACV.

Fresh from her wins at the International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament-Gracia Fair Cup in Hungary last month, Ms. Breanna Labadan once again raised the Philippine flag as the lone Filipino competitor during the 2023 FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece on 17-19 March 2023. Ms. Labadan is one of the youngest participants during the competition and made history when she became the first rhythmic gymnast representing the Philippines to compete at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships during the 2022 edition of the tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Ms. Labadan, together with her proud parents, met with Ambassador Giovanni and Mrs. Novelyn Palec during their courtesy visit at the Philippine Embassy in Greece on 20 March 2023.

8 March 2023 - Philippine Embassy personnel held a collegial discussion on 8 March 2023 to mark International Women’s Day. As an offshoot of various lectures and seminars attended by personnel over the years, and in line with the theme of gender equality and an inclusive society, the frank and open discussions delved into how as individuals and as civil servants can personnel concretely help empower women. The discussion strengthened the personnel’s commitment to provide gender-sensitive and timely service to Filipinos in Greece, Cyprus, and North Macedonia, as well as to help empower each other. Embassy personnel further pledged to continue to pursue the advancement of gender equality everyday and not only on National Women’s Month

Philippine Embassy personnel in purple pose with consular applicants during special Sunday service in Athens

Filipinos in Cyprus avail of consular services in Nicosia

13 March 2023 - On the occasion of National Women’s Month, two separate teams from the Philippine Embassy held simultaneous consular missions in Athens, Greece and Nicosia, Cyprus. Filipinos in Athens availed of passport and Overseas Voter Registration services at the Philippine Embassy in Athens on 12 March 2023, while applicants in Cyprus flocked to the consular outreach at the Centrum Hotel in Nicosia on 11-12 March 2023 to avail of passport, civil registry, dual citizenship, and labor and welfare services. The outreach in Cyprus was highlighted by a health and wellness seminar in Larnaca organized by the Migrant Workers Office and the Philippine Consulate in Larnaca, and capped by a meeting between the Filipino community and Philippine Ambassador Giovanni E. Palec.

13 March 2023 - In celebration of National Women’s Month, a seminar on physical and mental health conducted by health experts in Cyprus was held on 12 March 2023 in Larnaca. The event was co-sponsored by the Philippine Embassy in Athens and organized by the Migrant Workers Office under Labor Attaché Cynthia Cruz and Welfare Officer Marivic Mondina, with the support of Philippine Honorary Consul Charmagne Garcia- Laconico, and highlighted by the keynote address of Philippine Ambassador Giovanni E. Palec. The event was capped by a town hall meeting in which various issues affecting Filipinos in Cyprus were discussed.

The event drew 67 Cyprus-based Filipino attendees

Amb. Palec (2nd from right), Welfare Officer Mondina (leftmost), Labor Attache Cynthia Cruz (2nd from left), and Honorary Consul Charmagne Laconico (rightmost) pose with Cypriot physical and mental health experts