The opening ceremony of the 9th Confucius Institute Conference was held on December 7. After the opening ceremony, a cooperation agreement of co-building a Confucius Institute in the Philippines was signed between Xiamen University and University of Philippines. It will be the 16th Confucius Institute built by Xiamen University and the 475th Confucius Institute set up by China in the world.

Currently, there are 15 Confucius Institutes jointly set up by Xiamen University and local universities in 13 countries on 5 continents.

The Chinese language learning colleges, known as Confucius Institutes, named after the world-renown Chinese philosopher Confucius, are institutions used to promote the education and exchange of Chinese language and culture in the world. The purpose of the Confucius Institute is to develop and promote Chinese teaching in the world, and to promote exchange and cooperation between China and the rest of the world.

Besides, an unveiling ceremony of Dean College of the Confucius Institute was kicked off during the 9th Confucius Institute Conference. With a total area of 34 hectares, Dean College is expected to offer trainings for 3,600 deans and key teachers for the Confucius Institutes around the world.

Source: WOX

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Consul General Julius Flores launched the Consulate General’s Logo Design Contest as part of the commemorative activities for the 20th Anniversary of the Consulate General’s establishment in Xiamen in January 1995.

The announcement was made during the “The Red Carpet” Christmas party organized by the Filipino Association in Xiamen (FAX) which was attended by 500 guests at the Kempinski Hotel on 6 December 2014.

The Contest is open only to Filipino graphic designers based in Xiamen and Fujian province who will work on the theme “Moving Forward in the Present and in the Future”. The winning entry will be used by the Consulate General for promotional and memorabilia purposes for its 20th anniversary activities.

Consul General Flores commended FAX for organizing this annual CHRISTMAS gathering which brings together the Filipino community and their foreign friends from Xiamen and other parts of Fujian province. FAX was also congratulated for its productive and dynamic year in 2014 with its series of various projects. END

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Philippine Consul General to Xiamen conducted a two-series lecture on the Philippine diplomatic service for Manila’s Xavier School Grade 8 students on 25 and 26 November 2014 at the Philippine Consulate General’s Bulwagang Bagumbayan (National Hereos Hall). A total of 116 students (57 and 59 students each for the two groups) attended the lecture.

The Xavier School students are in Xiamen for the school’s new program, the Xavier China Experience: Xiamen Program – a 40-day activity to expose the school’s Filipino-Chinese students to their familial roots in China, particularly in Fujian province, to enrich their knowledge of history and culture.

In his lectures, ConGen Flores gave the historical account of the establishment of the Consulate General in Xiamen, including the opening of the Chinese Consulate in Cebu and the visits of Presidents Corazon Aquino (1998) and Noynoy Aquino (2011) in Fujian.

He also underscored that Xiamen/Fujian is the most historically and culturally linked with majority of the overseas Chinese in the Philippines, which the students confirmed by revealing that most of them trace their familial roots back to Fujian province.

Group picture with CG Flores (middle) and Xavier School students and teachers

ConGen Flores also highlighted the many facets of the work of the Consulate General covering political, economic and public diplomacy functions. He encouraged the young students to join the Philippine foreign service but reminded them that it would require long preparation and they could do it b by focusing on their studies early on. End

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To our kababayans in Fujian and Jiangxi provinces:

The Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen informs all our kababayans in Fujian and Jiangxi provinces that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) officially launched the Balik Manggagawa Online Processing System (BM Online) on 16 October 2014 to speed up the processing of Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC) at the convenience of he vacationing Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

According to POEA, Balik-Mangagawa or vacationing OFWs can use the BM Online to obtain an OEC or exit clearance instead of going to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) or lining up at the POEA office and other OEC processing centers during their vacation.

Furthermore, BM Online is available only for workers on vacation, rehired or returning to the same employer, and with existing record in the POEA database. A Balik-Manggagawa or returning OFW who does not meet said criteria will be redirected to the BM Appointment page for regular processing of OEC on a chosen date, time and preferred processing site of the OFW.

OFWs using the system will have to pay PHP100.00 for processing fee and PHP19.50 for e-payment service fee.

OFWs may access the system at https://www.bmonline.ph/ or at the POEA’s official website: http://www.poea.gov.ph/

For more information on the BM Online, you download the frequently asked questions (FAQs) and POEA’s advisories at the following links:

• http://www.poea.gov.ph/balik/bm_online_faq.htm
• http://www.poea.gov.ph/News/2014/PR_Dec2014_Balik2014.docx.pdf
• http://www.poea.gov.ph/News/2014/PR_Oct2014_BMOnlineLaunch.pdf

Download the letter from the Consulate:

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In line with the Philippine Government’s mandate to raise public awareness on the Philippines’ efforts to end violence against women (VAW) and in the observance of National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen organized an event on 28 November 2014 with the members of the Filipino community in Fujian province to promote the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW with the reinforcing theme of this year’s campaign: “END VAW NOW! IT’S OUR DUTY!”

Consul General Julius Caesar A. Flores, in his message to the members of the Filipino community, said that the Philippines joins the whole world in the global campaign to generate awareness on the rights of women, especially that which concerns violence against women. Congen Flores further said that the campaign to end violence against women and children calls for the elimination of all forms of violence, which may be done through raising public awareness on VAW.

In the spirit of the observance of this campaign, Congen Flores challenged the members of the Filipino community present to religiously observe the campaign to End VAW. He further encouraged the Filipino community in southeastern China to also actively take part in the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW by observing and being conscious and aware of the rights of women. He pointed out that the world would be a better world to live in if women have no problem.

The End VAW banner is prominently displayed at PCG’s Bulwagang Bagong Bayan Hall (National Heroes Hall) from 25 November 2014 to 12 December 2014.

In his final remarks, Congen Flores said said that to further strengthen the End VAW campaign, the Philippines extended its campaign to 18 days, to include 12 December, which is the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day. END.

Consul General Julius Caesar A. Flores lectured on the role of the PCG Xiamen in relation to the overall Philippine presence in China to a group of 25 Ateneo de Cebu high school students and five faculty members who comprised the pioneering Ateneo Hearters Adventures (AHA) program in China.

The AHA program is a 35-day academic immersion program with the aim of deepening and strengthening the students’ appreciation of China as well as understanding their ancestral roots in Fujian.

ConGen Flores delivering a lecture to the Sacred Heart School-Ateno de Cebu students at Xiamen PCG’s Bulwagang Bagumbayan

ConGen Flores underscored that Xiamen/Fujian is the most deeply historically and culturally link with majority of the overseas Chinese in the Philippines. This is exemplified by the 30-year sister-city partnership between Xiamen and Cebu.

This is another excellent accomplishment of a people-to-people exchange program which should be encouraged to nurture friendship and understanding between the Philippines and China. END.

1. For Philippine pesos (which include legal tender Philippine notes and coins, checks, money order and other bills of exchange drawn in pesos against bank operating in the Philippines):

a: A person may bring into or out of the Philippines or electronically transfer Philippine pesos not exceeding PhP10,000.00 without prior approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

b: For amounts in excess of PhP10,000.00, prior BSP authorization is required.

2. For foreign currency and other foreign-currency-denominated bearer instruments:

a: A person bringing in or taking out of the Philippines in excess of US$10,000.00 or its equivalent in other currencies shall declare the same in writing using the Foreign Currency and Other FX-Denominated Bearer Monetary Instruments Declaration Form. The form is available at the Bureau of Customs desk at the arrival/departure areas of international airports and seaports. It may also be downloadable from the BSP website (Annex K of the Manual of Regulations on Foreign Exchange Transactions).

3. The above rules are applicable to a child traveling with his/her parent/guardian provided that (a) the child is physically present with the parent/guardian upon Customs inspection; (b) the total amount allocated per person, inclusive of the allotment for the child/children, should not average more the PhP10,000.00; and (c) allocation of the pesos or foreign currency is explained to the authorities by the parent/guardian.

Source: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Manual of Regulations on Foreign Exchange Transactions

The Xiamen City Municipal People’s Government held the 2015 Annual Consular Corps Briefing in Xiamen City on 28 January 2015 at the Kempinski Hotel presided by Xiamen City Vice Mayor Zhang Can Min and attended by representatives from the three Consulates General in Xiamen, namely, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore, officials of the Xiamen City Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (FOCAO) and the local media.

Prior to the briefing, the attendees were given a tour of the Mintai Eco-Culture Village at the Haicang District and the Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal at Haicang Port in Xiamen City.

In his statement, Vice Mayor Zhang briefed the attendees on Xiamen’s last year’s accomplishments as well as the city’s economic performance and outlook for 2015. He also expressed his sincere appreciation for the support and participation given by the three Consulates General in Xiamen in activities and events initiated by the city such as the Nanyang Festival and also thanked the consular corps for their invitation to the city officials in their respective national day celebrations.

For her part, Vice Consul Gorospe discussed the economic priorities of the Philippine government as well as the Consulate General’s 2015 calendar of activities in Xiamen. She also assured the body of the Consulate General’s continued support and cooperation with the other members of the Xiamen diplomatic corps as well as the Xiamen City government in its future activities. END

VC Ria E. Gorospe together with other members of the diplomatic corps during the tour of MinTai Eco-Culture Village at Haicang District, Xiamen

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Xiamen sponsored a Roundtable discussion for Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) at the C&D Hotel Xiamen on 10 February 2015 where Philippine Consulate General Vice Consul Ria E. Gorospe was invited as a resource speaker.

The Roundtable discussion was presided by CCPIT Xiamen Chairman Su Yu Qun who announced that CCPIT Xiamen is pushing forward a “Going Out” strategy for 2015 by spearheading economic visits to Europe, India and Australia, to stimulate internationalization of Xiamen enterprises. CCPIT Xiamen also intends to strengthen cooperation with Business/Economic divisions of the different Consulates General in Guanzhou and Xiamen as well as with other TPOs by organizing visits to Xiamen Free Trade Zones.

Chairman Su also mentioned that the CCPIT included in its 2015 agenda a training program for local business enterprises on E-Commerce technology to facilitate better transition from traditional economic practices to the E-Commerce era.

During her remarks, Vice Consul Gorospe gave an update on the significant developments in the Philippine economy, including trade statistics, import-export figures as well as other economic variables.

VC Gorospe also discussed the Philippines-China balance of trade stating that China is the 3rd major trading partner of the Philippines. 3rd largest export market, and second biggest import supplier, which show the robust economic cooperation between the two countries. She also cited the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement as useful platform to facilitate networking between government agencies, private and state-owned enterprises and businessmen from the Philippines and China as well as using the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)–related fora as tools in continuously engaging with China economically.

VC Gorospe also mentioned areas of cooperation the Philippine government intends to pursue with China which include agriculture, transport, tourism, processing and manufacturing, among others. The Philippines is also prepared to work with China in its priority industries such as testing and certification, medical services, innovation and technology, cultural and creative industries, environmental industries and education services.

The other Roundtable resource speakers include Singapore Consul General Chi Chiew Sum; Thai Consul Kanyalak Cheeravinij; Misses Wu Xuan and Huang Shan Li of the Thai Business Center; Mr. Chen Yan Ting, Chief Delegate, Taiwan Trade Center Xiamen Office; the Director of Korea Trade Center in Xiamen; the Chief Delegate of Canada Trade Center in Xiamen; the Chief Representative of the Government of the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic; the Chief of Colombia China Chamber of Commerce in Fujian, Miss Kelly Diaz; the President of Sino German Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, Mr. Victor K. He; the Assistant to the Chairman of the Sino-Australia Entrepreneurs Association, Miss Liu Qian; the Secretary General of ASEAN plus Six Business Promotion Association of China, Miss Qiu Yong Hong; and Mr. Wang Bai Wei of the Japanese Public Consortium Okinawa Prefecture Trade Promotion Corps in Fujian.

The Roundtable discussion was covered by seven news outlets including Xiamen TV, Xiamen Star TV, Xiamen Daily, Xiamen Evening News, Morning News of Strait’s West, Straits News and the China News Agency. END

In celebration of the 2015 National Women’s Month/International Women’s Day, the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen organized a seminar on Basic Life Support on 21 March 2015. Dr. Christopher G. Hemady, M.D., Medical Director of the The City Medical Consultancy delivered a lecture about first aid, particularly on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to members of the Filipino community in Fujian province, as well as to PCG’s officers, staff and their family members.

Dr. Hemady with his assistant demonstrating basic CPR

The lecture aimed to educate the participants on how to provide CPR and extend appropriate assistance in emergency situations. It was also very interactive and involved audience participation.

VC Gorospe delivering her remarks

Vice Consul Ria E. Gorospe, in her opening remarks, said that the Philippine government recognizes the role of women and their contribution to our society. The Philippine government has always encouraged strong women participation in all kinds of programs that the government has been pushing, like the formulation of decisions and national policies. The private sector likewise acknowledges the importance of women in the country’s road to progress and development.

Vice Consul Gorospe also enjoined all “Juanas” to stand firm, be strong and proactive. She also highlighted the importance of the “Juans” in supporting all “Juanas” as they aspire to become better individuals.

The audience actively participated in the lecture and demonstration. Later that day, they expressed their sincere appreciation to the Consulate General for having conducted the said lecture. END.

Hands-on practice of compression and CPR

Dr. Hemady demonstrating how to put a person into safe position

In October 2014, Xiamen and Cebu reached a milestone with its 30th anniversary of their sister-city partnership, and highlighted with the declaration by Cebu City of Cebu-Xiamen Friendship Day to be commemorated every year on the 26th of October.

The Cities of Cebu and Xiamen galvanized their partnership on 26 October 2014.

Initiated by the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen earlier in 2014, the proposal for the declaration of Xiamen-Cebu Friendship Day saw fruition through the support of Cebu City Mayor Rama and the efforts of the Cebu City Council led by Vice Mayor Edgardo C. Labella.

In commemoration of this milestone event, Consul General Julius Flores, led in November 2014, a 4-day familiarization tour of Cebu’s major tourist attractions and hotel establishments to bolster tourism between the two sister cities.

The tour involved Fujian major media and popular bloggers with a wide reach of the Chinese general public. The tour operators consisted of the top three major partners in Fujian for the last many years.

Mayor Rama warmly welcomed and thanked the group’s contribution in projecting Cebu to Xiamen and Fujian province as well as in boosting relations between Fujian and the Philippines.

The commemoration annually of Cebu-Xiamen Friendship Day is expected to enhance the partnership as well as boost Xiamen/Fujian and Philippine relations. END

The Filipino community in Xiamen through the Filipino Association in Xiamen (FAX) celebrated Easter week with the 2015 Easter Bingo on Sunday, 05 April 2015 at the Philippine Consulate General grounds. The event was an opportunity for the Filipinos in Xiamen to get together during the Easter holiday, which was attended by at least 150 OFWs and their foreign friends who enjoyed Filipino hospitality and goodwill. The event is one of several fundraising activities organized by FAX annually to support their various socio-cultural activities for the year.

Information Officer Jose Rey B. Madrilejos (foreground) delivering his welcome remarks

In his remarks, Information Officer Jose Rey B. Madrilejos, thanked the FAX officers for organizing an event for a good and worthy cause. He also took it as an opportunity to remind the OFWs of the continuing efforts of the Philippine government to curb illegal drug activities involving OFWs, particularly those travelling to China. END

Para sa ating mga kababayan sa probinsya ng Fujian at Jiangxi;

Ang Konsulado Panlahat ng Pilipinas sa Xiamen ay muling pinapaalalahan ang ating mga kababayan na huwag pababayaan na mapaso ang inyong visa at tumanggap ng trabaho bilang isang kasambahay sa Tsina sa maaring ialok ng inyong mga kaibigan, anumang recruitment agency o kahit na sinong mga dayuhan. Sa kasalukuyan, pinaiigi ng mga awtoridad sa Tsina ang kanilang kampanya laban sa mga dayuhan na iligal na nakatira at nagtratrabaho sa Tsina pati na rin sa mga iligal na recruiters.

Ang lahat ay binabalaan na hindi pinahihintulutan ng Tsina ang mga dayuhan na magtrabaho bilang isang kasambahay sa Tsina. Hindi rin nagiissue ng working permit ang Tsina sa mga naturang dayuhan kung kaya’t malimit na ang kanilang visa ay napapaso.

Ayon sa batas ng Tsina ukol sa immigration, ang mga dayuhan na iligal na nagtratrabaho at walang valid na visa ay maaresto at makukulong ng hindi bababa sa 30 araw. Sila rin ay pagmumultahin ng hindi bababa sa 10,000.00 RMB sa paglabag sa nasabing batas. Lahat ng kinita sa pamamagitan ng iligal na pamamaraan ay babawiin din ng mga awtoridad. Ang dayuhang lumabag sa nasabing batas ay hindi na muling makababalik sa Tsina sa susunod na limang (5) taon.

Ayon pa sa nasabing batas, ang mga iligal na recruiters ay pagmumultahin ng hindi bababa sa 5,000.00 RMB sa bawat iligal na trabahong naipasok ngunit hindi hihigit sa 50,000.00 RMB. Ang iligal na pag-eempleyo ng mga dayuhan ay pagmumultahin ng doble sa multa nga mga iligal na recruiters.

Ang mga Pilipino na walang tamang dokumento lalo na ang mga nagtratrabaho bilang isang kasambahay sa Tsian ay madaling mapagsamantalahan ng mga mapang-abusong amo.

Pinag-iingat ng Konsulado Panlahat ang lahat ng mga Pilipino na may planong mag-abroad na maging mapagmasid at laging handa para sa sariling kaligtasan lalong lalo na sa mga kasambahay na pinangakuhan ng trabaho sa Tsina ngunit hindi dumaan sa tamanag proseso sa pagkuha ng tamang visa.

Ang tamang proseso sa pagkuha ng trabaho sa Tsina ay sa pamamagitan ng ligal na pamamaraan at sa tulong na din ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno tulad ng OWWA at POEA.

Kung kayo ay panangakuhan ng trabaho sa Tsina ngunit gagamit ng tourist (L) visa sa pagpasok at pinangakuhang ito ay mapapalitan ng working (Z) visa, kayo ay nasa panganib na maging isang undocumented na manggagawa sa Tsina na walang pagkakataon na makakuha ng working permit. END…

Download PDF

Konsulado Panlahat ng Pilipinas
Xiamen

The Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen would like to advise members of the Filipino community in the Fujian Province that the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila is in the process of improving its current ePassport system.

Relative to this development, disruptions and delays in the passport applications at the Consulate General may arise due to the technical aspects involved in the current ePassport system.

We encourage those who are interested to apply for passport renewals to apply in anticipation. Should you have further queries, we would be happy to assist you. You may reach us at telephone numbers (0086592) 5130355/5130366 or email at xiamen.pc@yahoo.com.

For information and guidance. END

Source: XiamenPCG

Two Xiamen-based Filipino photographers, Bong Antivola and Cocoy Declaro, displayed their work along with six other foreign artists in the Nihao International Art Festival, which opened on April 11, 2015 at the JFC Mall in Xiamen City.

The other artists, also Xiamen-based, come from Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Chile, and the Netherlands.

The works of Antivola and Declaro provide depictions of daily life as well as scenic sights in Xiamen, Fujian as well as in the Philippines.

CG Julius Caesar A. Flores (3rd from right) poses with Mr. Antivola (2nd from right) and other Xiamen PCG officials.

On the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Consulate General in Xiamen, the winner of the Logo Design contest was announced on Friday, 18 April 2015 at the Philippine Consulate General’s Bulwagang Bagumbayan.

Mr. Jose Noel Antivola, a Xiamen-based Filipino artist, designed the winning logo with the adopted theme “Moving Forward in the Present and the Future”. As contest winner, Mr. Antivola received a painting by Filipino visual artist Ernesto “Aris” Bagtas.

Mr. Antivola bested other Filipino graphic artists based in Xiamen and Fujian province.

The winning design will be put on display at Xiamen PCG’s Bulwagang Bagumbayan as part of the Consulate General’s celebration of its 20th Anniversary and will be used for various memorabilia.

Consul General Flores encouraged Filipino artists in Fujian Province to participate in various events in China to showcase their talents to promote the Philippines, its arts and culture. END

Left Photo: Mr. Antivola receiving his prize for winning the Logo Design Contest. A painting from Filipino visual artist Ernesto “Aris” Bagtas
Right Photo: CG Flores (3rd from left) pose with the participants in the Logo Design Contest

On 23-24 March 2015, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), on behalf of the Philippine government, hosted a regional consultation for South, South-East and East Asian countries under the global ‘Migrants in Countries in Crisis’ (MICIC) initiative. The meeting provided an opportunity for governments to exchange views and identify best practices on how to assist migrants in countries in crisis. As Ambassador Guy Ledoux of the EU Delegation to the Philippines explained in his opening remarks, ‘we know that many countries, notably the Philippines but also others in Asia, already have good systems in place to protect their nationals abroad, and we want to learn from these experiences’.

The meeting was organized in collaboration with the United States State Department and the European Commission, with funding from the EU’s Global Public Goods and Challenges programme. This is the first of the six MICIC-focused regional consultations envisioned with EU funding.

When conflict or disasters hit, international migrants present in the crisis-stricken country are often among the affected population. For a variety of factors, migrants can be especially vulnerable during crises. In some cases, migrants may be trapped, unable to leave the crisis area, in others they may be unwilling to leave or unable to access humanitarian assistance, while in others they may seek refuge across borders in adjacent countries. For example, the civil war in Libya in 2011 saw thousands of migrants from Asian countries in need of humanitarian aid and repatriation assistance.

In order to improve responses to the impact of acute crises on migrants, the US and the Philippines launched a global initiative in 2014 on Migrants in Countries in Crisis, in collaboration with the European Commission, Australia, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and Ethiopia. Aside from the CFO, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Foreign Affairs represent the Philippine government in the MICIC initiative.

The initiative is working to develop a set of non-binding voluntary guidelines and best practices that will be used by governments, international organizations, civil society and private sector actors. According to Imelda Nicolas, Secretary of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the mantra of the initiative is ‘to save lives, increase protection, decrease vulnerabilities and improve responses’.

The meeting was attended by over 100 persons, including government officials of 16 countries, as well as representatives of international organizations, civil society, and the private sector. It was organized with the support of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

For inquiry regarding this press release, please call the Office of CFO Secretary Imelda Nicolas at (632) 552-4701 to 06 or email: imelda.nicolas@cfo.gov.ph

For more information on the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) log in at our website www.cfo.gov.ph END

The Philippines is pleased to announce that the 2015 Halal Assembly – International Conference and Expo will be held from 03-05 June 2015 at the Marriott Manila Grand Ballroom, Manila. About forty (40) representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and over 1,000 participants are expected to attend the event, which is organized by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region XII in partnership with the Halal Development Council (a Pakistan-based NGO dedicated to the development of the Halal economy), with the backing of the OIC.

The event aims to serve as a venue for unified action and synergize efforts of concerned agencies of government and the private sector, to jumpstart the development of halal industry and enable the country’s products to penetrate and be accepted in the world market.

There will be seven (7) plenary sessions which will include Halal marketing and branding, Islamic finance and banking, among others.

The highlight of the event will be the launching of the Philippine Certified Halal Logo, which will be duly recognized and accredited by the OIC. The Logo will signify that a product is compliant with the “One Standard, One Logo, One Test”rule of the OIC, which can then facilitate entry and acceptance into the world market.

For Event details and registration forms, interested parties may visit http://halalphilippines.gov.ph/index.php/Philippine-halal-assembly-2015 END

DFA Officials led by Ambassador Erlinda Basilio and Consul General Julius Caesar Flores attended the inaugural activities in Jinjiang City of Philippine Airlines (PAL) latest route, Quanzhou(Jinjiang)-Manila on 24 April 2015. Pal will fly three times weekly.

The event was highlighted by a press conference and a dinner reception, attended by PAL CEO Mr. Lucio Tan, Mrs. Carmen Tan, PAL President Jaime Bautista and other PAL officials. The Chinese guests were headed by Quanzhou Municipality Mayor Zheng Xincong, Jinjiang City Mayor Liu Wenru, and Shishi City Mayor Zhang Yishan. Also present were DOT representatives, and members of the local business community.

In her message delivered during the press conference and reception, Ambassador Basilio lauded PAL for opening a new frontier by offering direct flights from Quanzhou to Manila and vice versa. She also acknowledged PAL’s valuable contribution to the Philippine government’s campaign in continuing to promote the Philippines as a major tourist destination especially for the growing Chinese tourism market.

She also made a strong pitch for the Chinese public to visit the Philippines and experience for themselves the beauty of the Philippines and discover that it is indeed “More Fun in the Philippines!”

Jinjiang City is approximately 80 kilometers north of Xiamen City, which is an hour’s drive by car. This new PAL route is expected to bring convenience to both Filipino and Chinese travelers based in Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Shishi and Fuzhou cities who need not go to Xiamen (Gaoqi) Airport to fly to Manila. END

Filipino Association in Xiamen (FAX) held its annual “Barkadahan Sportsfest 2015” at the Manila-Xiamen International School (MXIS) grounds on 02 May 2014. The event was attended by 150 OFWs from Xiamen, Quanzhou and Shishi Cities. Engr. Roman T. Go, Chairman of MXIS was also present to support the event. Representatives from Filipinos in China (FINCH), a Filipino organization based in Quanzhou City, and some Filipino students from Jimei University also participated.

In his remarks, Consul General Flores lauded FAX for organizing the sports event that brings together the Filipino community from various areas of Fujian province to enjoy a day of fun, sportsmanship and camaraderie. Consul General Flores welcomed the event as part of the Filipino Community Xiamen contribution to the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Consulate General. He also took the opportunity to reiterate the need to unify all Filipinos under one umbrella organization in Fujian province as well as reminded the OFWs to continue to obey and respect the laws of the host country.

The participants were divided into Red and Blue Teams. The Blue Team emerged victorious garnering a total of 275 points by winning the Tug-of-War games (Men, Women and Mixed), Badminton and Table Tennis events, making them this year’s over-all champion. The Red Team earned 255 points and is this year’s runner-up. END