3rd Quarter - The Philippine Embassy in Berlin

PHILIPPINE NEWS JOURNAL
A PUBLICATION OF
July to September 2005
THE EMBASSY OF THE PHILIPPINES, BERLIN, GERMANY
www.philippine-embassy.de
5TH ALL NATIONS FESTIVAL
MGA MINAMAHAL KONG
KABABAYAN,
Through this edition of the
Philippine News Journal, I would
like to express my appreciation to
each and every member of the
Filipino community in Germany for
having the opportunity of serving
you as ambassador for the last two
years and a half and for the
cooperation you have given to the Embassy under my
leadership. I am leaving Berlin for Vancouver, Canada in
the middle of October and the Embassy will be headed soon
by another seasoned career diplomat of the Philippine
Foreign service.
Looking back, the past two and a half years have been
much a community effort as scores of you throughout
Germany have contributed to the success of promoting the
Philippines in this country. Through your activities, we have
highlighted our strong bond with our mother country and
sense of brotherhood with our less fortunate kababayans
back home. We have strengthened our linkages with
Germany through socio-cultural programs and through the
exemplary attitude you have exhibited in this country. Your
assimilation with the German society have made Filipinos
and Filipino-Germans model citizens and immigrants in this
country.
For our part, we have started the process of uniting all
organizations in Germany under one umbrella organization
which hopefully can be realized under the leadership of my
successor. We can only be a strong and viable entity in
Germany if we are able to have one single voice speaking
for all Filipinos and Filipino-Germans. In the same vein, we
can be a strong voice also in the Philippines by exercising
our right to vote. I therefore urge those of you who have not
registered to do so as an overseas absentee voter.
Registration will last from October 1, 2005 up to August 31,
2006.
I feel very privileged to have been assigned to Germany at
this time and have the opportunity of organizing activities
celebrating the 50th anniversary of Philippine-German
relations. Our two countries have accomplished a lot in
these 50 years but more needs to be done. I am confident
that with the continued support of all of you, the Embassy
will be able to strengthen the bond of friendship between our
two countries.
Mabuhay po
Wiedersehen!
tayong
lahat,
maring
salamat
at
Auf
MINERVA JEAN A. FALCON
Ambassador
Berlin, 30 September 2005
Volume III No. 3
For the 5th time, thirty-three embassies, the information office of
the European Parliament and the Representation of the
European Commission opened their doors to the public at an
open house – called All Nations Festival – on 2 July 2005.
The Philippine Embassy participated in the said festival, which
is under the auspices of the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Mr.
Klaus Wowereit. Almost a thousand visitors witnessed the
broad range of cultural presentations: an art exhibit by Razel
Gstrein Gonzales, piano selections by Abelardo Galang II and
Mariano Javier Walter, poetry ready by Dr. Robert Martens,
folk dances by the Sampaguita Dance Troupe, and musical
renditions by the San Beda College Chorale.
Ambassador Falcon cutting the ribbon opening the exhibit of Rachel
Gonzales, fifth from right during the All Nations Festival at the
Embassy Chancellery.
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL DRAGON BOAT TEAM WINS
BRONZE IN 7TH WORLD DRAGON BOAT RACING
CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BERLIN
The 25-member Philippine National Dragon Boat Team won
the bronze medal in the World Men´s Premier Open 200Meters category at the 7th World Dragon Boat Racing
Championships held in Berlin on 3-7 August 2005.
Dragon boat racing has developed over the past twenty years
at a staggering pace around the world, including Germany, the
host country for this year´s championship. The sport – under
the governance of the International Dragon Boat Federation
(IDBF) as its World Governing Body – has enthusiasts in nearly
60 countries or territories worldwide, and four million people
participate in the sport in China alone, the traditional and
cultural home of dragon boat racing.
In this year´s competition in Berlin, nearly 3,000 participants
from 20 nations competed over the four days of racing for
World Championship Medals as well as for Medals in the
European Club Crew Championships.
Aside from the Premier 200-Meters, other categories are the
Premier 500-Meters and Premier 1000-Meters.
The World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are held
every two years. The venue of the next championships will
be held in Sydney in 2007.
the exhibit entitled “Kapaw…Echoes of the Sea Children,”
said that “Mr. Lungay is one of the few Asian artists who,
despite interactions with the European art community, has
retained the Asian touch and emphasizes adherence to root
culture and its art.”
The artworks, oil on canvas and terracotta figures, about sea
nomads in the Asia-Pacific region are visual interpretations of
the artist's experiences with Badjaos or Philippine sea
nomads, where he tries to show certain parallelisms between
their interactions with their natural environment and the
urbanized societies. These artworks show certain conflicting
aspects of primitive cultures, which are stiff clinging to their
preserved traditions, despite living and mingling in the
modernized global society. They also show the skill and style
of the artist, as well as the emotional content and cultural
substance that the artist feels toward his subjects.
Ambassador Falcon with the Philippine National Dragon Boat Team.
WORLD YOUTH DAY 2005
POPE BENEDIKT XVI – APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO
COLOGNE
On 18-21 August 2005, Germany was the center of the
catholic world when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI visited
his homeland to attend the World Youth Day (WYD) in
Cologne whose theme revolved around the passage "We
have come to worship him." Ambassador Falcon, together
with the Diplomatic Corps and other government officials
attended the WYD upon invitation of the German government.
In his farewell speech, the Pope said:
Lungay's recent artworks portray the artist's sensitive ability
to derail light and color on a specific scheme, and the
heightened visual perception that allow him to freely move
through art on experimental levels in modern realism. Such
levels include eagle perspectives and underwater scenes with
subjects purely retained from memory. Mr. Lungay has been
residing in the State of Hesse since 2004, and has had four
exhibitions in Germany since then. In a recent art
competition, he won the first prize "Kunstwege II" from the
city of Eschwege.
“ xxx I express my hope that we can strengthen our common
commitment to train the younger generation in the human and
spiritual values which are indispensable for building a future
of true freedom and peace. xxx” ” (Excerpt from the Farewell
Speech of Pope Benedict XVI at the Cologne Airport,
21 August 2005)
Ambassador Falcon opening the exhibit of Gene Lungay, right.
ASEAN Night
The Berlin ASEAN Committee celebrated its annual ASEAN
Night on 30 August 2005 at the Neues Kranzler Eck in Berlin.
An evening of cultural performances and diverse authentic
dishes from the ASEAN countries delighted the guests. The
Philippines presented a much-applauded unique performance
of martial arts set to music. The performers, members of the
AEK e.V, an organization of Germans in Berlin practicing
Philippine martial arts, demonstrated the various aspects of
Arnis, Esrkima and Kali.
Ambassador Falcon with CDU leader Angela Merkel and CSU
member of Parliament Michael Glos at the open air mass in
Marienfeld on 21 August 2005.
FILIPINO ARTIST PORTRAYS CULTURAL SUBSTANCE
IN AN EXHIBIT IN THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN BERLIN
An exhibit by Filipino visual artist Noel Gene B. Lungay, which
portrays emotional content and Filipino cultural substance,
was opened on 19 September 2005 at the Philippine
Embassy in Berlin Chancery as part of the Asia-Pacific
Weeks 2005.
Ambassador Minerva Jean A. Falcon, who officially opened
The members of the AEK e.V. an organization of Germans in Berlin
practicing Philippine martial arts.
VISIT OF KAREN DAVILA
The team of “The Correspondents” led by Karen Davila
visited Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg to feature some
Filipinos living in Germany. In Berlin, Ms. Davila and Mr.
Abner Mercado interviewed Filipino prodigy Mariano Javier
Walter, a ten-year old pianist. In Hamburg, they featured
the turnover of an Airbus aircraft to Cebu Pacific.
each time they enter the country. The family members of a Balikbayan
shall likewise be admitted as Balikbayans on the condition that they (i)
travel with the Balikbayan; (ii) pay immigration fees; and (iii) observe
and comply with immigration rules and regulations.
A Balikbayan who has acquired the citizenship of a country that falls
under categories A, B, and C, or his/her family member whose
nationality also falls under any of aforementioned categories, is
required to obtain an entry visa.
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRICT BAGGAGE INSPECTIONS AT THE
NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (NAIA)
In response to the numerous queries posed by overseas contract
workers, returning residents, balikbayan and other foreign travelers
regarding a news article which appeared in the April 26, 2005 issue
of the Bulletin Today captioned “Customs Starts Strict Inspections
May 1” which reported that
l to r Ms. Lia Sale, Karen Davila, Consul Manfred Schnell, Mr. Abner
Mercado, Mrs. Stella Schnell and Ms. Milagros Antonio-Kropp.
INVESTMENT INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE
24-HOURS A DAY, 7-DAYS A WEEK VIA CALL CENTER
Investments information is now available 24 hours a day and
seven days a week as the Board of Investments takes
advantage of the latest in contact center technology, making
doing business in the Philippines easier with the launch of the
BOI toll-free customer care system (1-866-312-9830).
Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favilla said that
investors from around the globe need not come to Manila to
inquire on their investment concerns. “This facility speeds up
information dissemination from the usual walk-in to the more
efficient phone-in queries. Manned by knowledgeable and
trained professionals, the new service facility is intended to to
attend to investors’ concerns through its 24x7 customer
service assistance.”
“This landmark facility was established to make investing in the
Philippines easier. Investors, both foreign and local, can find
the answer to their concerns and questions with just one
phone call. The primary reason for this facility is to attract
more investment from among foreign businessmen that are not
aware of the many opportunities that the country provides for
their business,” Secretary Favilla said. “We hope to use this
new service to impress upon prospective investors that the
country is doing its best to ensure hassle-free transactions for
businesses.”
He urged investors, both local and foreign, to use the call
center facility since the facility is still in its dry-run stage so that
the DTI and the BOI can effectively assess the impact of this
new service to investments and improve the services of the
call center.
The new system, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is
currently available for investors in the US, Canada and the UK.
Earlier, the BOI has launched the Online Checklist for project
registration which provides investors the business
requirements they would need in starting their business in the
Philippines via the internet (www.boi.gov.ph).
BALIKBAYAN BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES
The policy pronouncement by former Bureau of Immigration (BI)
Commissioner Andrea Domingo dated 4 June 2001 granting
benefits and privileges to all Balikbayans and former Filipinos
every time they enter the country to visit regardless of their
frequent travel is still in effect.
Family members (spouse and children holding foreign passports)
of a Balikbayan (returning Filipino citizen or former Filipino citizen)
are entitled to a visa-free entry to the Philippines for a maximum
stay of one (1) year from the date of their arrival in the country
“Beginning May 2, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) will perform a
stringent inspection on all baggages of arriving passengers at the
premiere airport to search for any taxable items in an effort to
collect a P1 million daily collection quota set by newly appointed
Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.”
At the outset, it must be emphasized that there is nothing novel
about the goal-setting target of the BoC which is annually adjusted
by the Department of Finance in an effort to maximize revenue
collection. Thus. –
1. The daily revenue collection target set by the Commissioner at
the International Passenger Terminals (IPT) in NAIA is merely a
component part of the annual revenue collection goals of the BoC,
in general and the NAIA Collection District, in particular.
2. The Program is not in any way intended to restrict, limit or curtail
the benefits and privileges enjoyed by overseas contract workers,
returning residents, balikbayan, tourists and other foreign travelers.
In fact, the inspection and examination of the pieces of baggage
including, including personal effects, pasalubong, gifts or donations
brought in by arriving passengers belonging to this class are being
conducted by well-trained customs front-liners in the most
expeditious, convenient and orderly manner.
Returning
government officials and functionaries including their families or
entourage traveling abroad in an official or private capacity are not
exempted from this policy.
3. The main thrust of the program is simply the collection of the
correct duties and taxes on luxury items, jewelry, expensive wrist
watches, electronic and digital software, communication devices,
and articles of commercial quantities brought in by foreign and
Filipino travelers who are neither classified as overseas contract
workers, returning residents nor balikbayans.
4. And, for information and guidance of all arriving and departing
passengers, the Passenger Service has come out with a brochure
entitled “PASSENGER GUIDELINES FOR TRAVELLERS.” The
brochure defines and describes in simple terms all that the
passenger needs to know about the customs and quarantine laws,
rules, regulations, and procedures. This will be distributed on
board the aircraft, the Arrival and Departure areas in all
international airports in the country, travel agencies, the
Department of Foreign Affairs and all embassies and consular
offices abroad.
The Bureau of Customs is now in the final phase of “Re-energizing
the Passenger Service” to provide a truly world class service and
hassle-free international airport manned by fresh, well-trained,
courteous, and hospitable front-liners under a new motor of
“Serving with Honor.”
There is, therefore, nothing to be wary or apprehensive about the new
policy and procedure in the examination and clearance of passengers
and their pieces of baggage in the Arrival Area. The P1 million daily
collection “quota” was merely projected on the basis of the volume of
incoming passengers.
FILIPINOS WARNED ANEW OF EMAIL SCAM AS PHILIPPINE
EMBASSY IN MADRID REPORTS ARREST OF 300 PERSONS ON
CHARGES OF FRAUD AND SWINDLING THROUGH SCAM
LETTERS AND EMAILS
The Philippine Embassy in Madrid, Spain, joined calls by the
Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in
Abuja, Nigeria, for Filipinos to beware of letter and email scams
perpetrated by fraudsters. This warning comes alongside a
report by Philippine Ambassador to Spain Joseph D. Bernardo
y Media of the arrest of more than 300 persons by police
authorities in Costa del Sol, Malaga, on 20 July 2005 on
charges of swindling thousands of people out of hundreds of
millions of Euros in the largest international scam ever
discovered in Spain.
Ambassador Bernardo said that most of the people arrested are
foreign nationals from West Africa. Spanish authorities have
accused them of defrauding tens of thousands of people of as
much as 100 million euros a year by sending letters claiming
that their victims had won Spain´s national lottery, and that they
had to send money in order to collect the prize.
More than six million letters were sent each year, and over
20,000 people in 50 countries, principally in Europe, North
America, Australia and the Middle East, are believed to have
been conned since the syndicate began operating in 2003,
according to information gathered by the Embassy. Police
authorities in Spain began their operation in tracking down the
syndicate in 2003 following various complaints received by the
Spanish Government from diplomatic missions in Spain. The
operation was led by Spanish fraud investigators in
collaboration with Interpol, Europol, FBI and the US Postal
Service.
According to the report, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid has
been swamped with numerous complaints by a number of
OFWs abroad and Filipinos residing in the Philippines who were
victimized by the syndicate in this largest money scam. The
Embassy has consistently issued the necessary advisory for all
Filipinos not to be victimized by these scams.
Earlier the Philippine Embassy in Abuja warned Filipinos
against similar email and letter scams originating from Nigeria
sometimes known as the “419 scam.” The scams have caught
the attention of the media, law enforcement and even
diplomatic missions in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a
number of warnings to the public have already been issued.
Some forms of the letter scam claim to be seeking help for a
very ill person to induce the recipients to disclose detailed
personal information allegedly to facilitate transfer of funds
intended to be donated; all the while collecting these
information to be used by the fraudster for illegal bank
transactions.
TEXT SCAM ADVISORY
The public is hereby warned about the so-called “text scam”
which is a criminal scheme whereby the victim is informed
through short messaging service or “texting” that he won
millions of pesos in a raffle draw purportedly sponsored by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), or other institutions. The
swindlers who use fictitious names or pose as government
officials would try to get their victim to remit or deposit money to
certain bank accounts designated by the swindlers, supposedly
for the payment of tax and other fees, or to send pre-paid card
PINs to the swindlers´ cellular phones, as a precondition to
getting the alleged prize. Once the swindlers have taken the
money or loaded the pre-paid PINs to their cellular phones,
the victim would no longer hear from the swindlers again.
Those who receive such text messages or have been
victimized by this fraud are advised to immediately report the
matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat,
5/F, EDPC Building, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex,
Manila, with telephone numbers 302-3982 and 524-7011
local 2372 or to the Corporate Affairs Office, Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas, with telephone numbers 523-4832 and 5247011 local 2259.
OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING REGISTRATION RESUMES
All citizens of the Philippines abroad, not otherwise
disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the
day of the election, and who wish to vote for Senators and
Party-List Representatives for purposes of the 14 May 2007
National
Elections
must
file
applications
for
registration/certification as overseas absentee voters from 1
October 2005 to 31 August 2006.
For details, please contact the Philippine Embassy in Berlin
at telephone no. (030) 8649500, its Bonn Extension Office at
telephone no. (0228) 26779911 and the Philippine Consulate
General in Hamburg at telephone no. (040) 442952 or the
following website: http://www.philippine-embassy.de.
For those who registered in 2003, please contact the
Embassy to find out if your voters ID is available for pick up.
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY WELCOMES TWO NEW STAFF
MEMBERS
The Philippine Embassy welcomes the following staff
members who arrived in the third quarter of the year:
Sosy F. Ramos, Finance Officer and
Attaché replacing Rutas R. Patricio who
completed her tour of duty on 31 Juy
2005. Ms. Ramos brings with her a
wealth of experience having served
previously as finance officer in the
Philippine foreign service posts in Honolulu
Jakarta and Singapore for a total of 33 years in fiscal
management. She also served as the Department’s
Chief Accountant from 1983-1986.
She is married, has two grown-up children and a doting
grandmother of one.
Now in her fortieth year of service in the Department, she
looks forward to retire in Berlin.
Ravinal Espiritu, Collecting and Property
Officer, replacing Fanny A. Tirol who
completed her tour of duty on 29 Juy
2005. Mr. Espiritu has previously served
at the Philippine Embassy in Cairo
handling consular matters. During his
stints at the Home Office, he served at
the Offices of Fislcal Management and
Consular Affairs. He is a graduate of BS Business
Administration of the University of the East and is happily
married with two sons, ages 4 and 14 years old.
He is slowly adjusting in Berlin but misses his family. His
wife Lorraine, is with the Philippine Embassy in Ankara.
He looks forward to being together with them during the
Christmas holidays either in Berlin or in Ankara.