GOVPH

PH EMBASSY IN ROME CONDUCTS CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION FOR OVER 600 FILIPINOS IN PALERMO, ITALY

Hits: 192

03 December 2024, ROME – The Philippine Embassy in Rome and its partner agencies, in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate in Palermo, conducted a successful consular outreach mission to serve overseas Filipinos in various regions of Sicily, including Palermo, Messina, Catania, and the nearby city of Reggio Calabria. The event, held at Chiesa di San Gregorio Papa, Piazza Porta Carini 4, 90134 Palermo, from 30 November to 01 December 2024, provided essential consular services to 693 Filipino nationals.

The consular outreach team, led by Ambassador Nathaniel G. Imperial and Consul General Randy B. Arquiza, facilitated a range of services, including passport applications, civil registry services, and consultations on assistance-to-nationals services and other consular matters. Consul General Arquiza also administered the oath of allegiance to fifty-two (52) Filipinos who chose to retain their Philippine citizenship under Republic Act No. 9225. Additionally, the Philippine Consulate in Palermo processed thirteen (13) notarization services.

The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Rome also participated, handling 375 transactions, including processing of membership and renewal applications, welfare counseling, and the Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

During the consular outreach mission, Ambassador Imperial, Consul General Arquiza, Consul Antonino Di Liberto, Assistant Labor Attaché Rosemarie G. Luntao, and Welfare Officer Norlita P. Lugtu, briefed the Filipino community of the Embassy’s programs and activities.

Ambassador Imperial also hosted a town hall meeting, where he met with Filipino community leaders/members from across the Sicilian region. Joined by Consul General Arquiza, Assistant Labor Attaché Luntao, and Consul Di Liberto, the Ambassador listened to the concerns of the community and addressed consular matters. The open forum allowed attendees to voice their needs and fostered meaningful dialogue between the Embassy and the community.

On 30 November 2024, Ambassador Imperial, accompanied by Consul General Arquiza and Consul Di Liberto, met with the Archbishop of Monreale, His Excellency Mons. Gualtiero Isacchi, to strengthen ties with the local religious community.

This mission marks the Embassy’s first consular outreach mission in Palermo since 2022, reaffirming its commitment to delivering vital government services to Filipinos in Italy. The Sicilian region is home to a significant Filipino population, with Palermo being the largest concentration of Filipinos in Southern Italy.

The outreach was made possible by the Office of Undersecretary for Migration Affairs (OUMA) of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Consulate in Palermo, and the Embassy’s partner agencies.

Philippine Embassy in Rome Holds Free Legal Seminar with Free Consultation to Overseas Filipinos in Italy

Hits: 98

05 September 2024 (Rome) - In partnership with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) International Law and International Affairs Committee and LGTON Law Firm, the Philippine Embassy in Rome  and its Office of Migrant Workers conducted a free legal seminar, “Itanong mo kay Attorney: Isang Libreng Talakayan ukol sa mga Batas sa Pilipinas,” on 29 August 2024 at the Embassy’s Social Hall. The event was geared towards empowering the Filipino community in Italy by providing them with the necessary information to protect their legal rights under Philippine laws. More than fifty (50) members of the Filipino community attended the event.

The seminar paved the way for participants to get an overview of three (3) essential Philippine legal topics that affect them the most - Family Law (Annulment, Foreign Divorce, Legitimation, and Rights of Illegitimate Children), Inheritance Law, and Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Law. Ten (10) Philippine lawyers also provided free one-on-one legal consultation to participants needing legal advice on various matters not limited to the Philippine law topics mentioned. 

In his speech, Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial encouraged the participants to “avail of the free legal services offered by the Philippine lawyers to ensure that everyone knows their rights and how to protect them.” He also cited the programs previously conducted by the Embassy, such as financial literacy seminars, skills training, and Post-Arrival Orientation Seminars (PAOS) to equip the community with the necessary information to uplift their living status as well as that of their family in the Philippines. END

PHILIPPINE SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ENRIQUE A. MANALO SUPPORTS PHILIPPINE DESIGN AND CULTURE IN ROME

Hits: 201

Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo 

Supports Philippine Design and Culture in Rome

Rome - Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo expressed strong support for the promotion of Philippine design and culture in Rome, at the opening of Tropical Lightscapes: An Exhibit of Sculptural Luminaires Crafted with Philippine Textiles, an exhibit by Milan-based Filipino artist, Mirei Monticelli, held at the Philippine Embassy in Rome on 22 November 2024. 

Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo (center), accompanied by Ambassador Neal Imperial (left) and Mirei Monticelli (right) during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Tropical Lightscapes: An Exhibit of Sculptural Luminaires Crafted with Philippine Textiles at the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

In his remarks, Secretary Manalo said that Ms. Monticelli “brings pride to both the Philippines and Italy, with her works that embody creativity, sustainability, and social responsibility.” 

Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo delivers his remarks at the opening of Tropical Lightscapes: An Exhibit of Sculptural Luminaires Crafted with Philippine Textiles at the Philippine Embassy in Rome, attended by members of the ASEAN diplomatic corps, Filipino Community leaders, studios and galleries.

Present during the event were the Honorable Salvatore Deidda, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Philippines-Italy Friendship Group of the Inter Parliamentary Union, Ambassadors from the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) countries based in Rome, Filipino Community leaders, and representatives from various galleries and interior design studios in Rome.

(From left to right) The Honorable Congressman Salvatore Deidda, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Philippines-Italy Friendship Group of the  Inter-Parliamentary Union, Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, artist Mirei Monticelli, and Philippine Ambassador Neal Imperial at the opening of Tropical Lightscapes: An Exhibit of Sculptural Luminaires Crafted with Philippine Textiles at the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

The crowning jewel of the exhibit is “Bukang-Liwayway (Dawn),” the artist’s glowing tribute to the first light of day, which, according to Mirei, “embodies the renewal and hope that sustains the Filipino spirit in foreign lands.” Also featured in the exhibit are her Nebula Grande lamp, Celeste flexible sculpture, and Cassiopeia, Sirenetta and Laminari lamps, among others. Moreover, there are four wall-mounted pieces, Regina dei Fiori, created in collaboration with Giah De los Reyes, which echo the delicate forms of Philippine flowers that pay homage to the vitality and resilience of life in the tropics. The opening program also included a rendition of Filipino classics, Bituing Marikit, Sa Kabukiran and Pipit  by Ms. Jean Clarizz Petrasanta, a classical Filipino flutist studying in Vivaldi Conservatory in Alessandria. 

(Left) Milan-based Filipina artist Mirei Monticelli explains the wall-mounted Regina dei Fiori, created in collaboration with Giah De Los Reyes. (Right) Crowning jewel of the exhibit, “Bukang-Liwayway (Dawn).”

Mirei Monticelli, daughter of renowned Filipino fashion designer Ditta Sandico, focuses on sustainable lighting designs, using banaca fiber, which is cultivated in the Philippines and woven by a community of artisans in the Bicol region. With her experience in the traditional manufacturing and handcrafting of furniture in the Philippines, she pursued the study of cutting-edge techniques at Politecnico di Milano in 2017, earning a Master’s degree in Design and Engineering. She founded Studiomirei in Milan in 2019, and in that same year, her Nebula lamp received acclaim at the Milan Design Week’s Salone Satellite at Rho Fiera Milano. 

This year, the Philippines and Italy are celebrating the 77th anniversary of the establishment of cordial and enduring diplomatic relations. Cooperation between the two countries spans a wide range of areas, including defense and security, development cooperation, trade and investments, tourism and culture, and strong people-to-people ties. Today, there are between 180,000 - 200,000 Filipinos all over Italy, who help strengthen the socio-economic fiber of both countries and promote  Filipino culture and heritage in Italy.

The exhibit, Tropical Lightscapes: An Exhibit of Sculptural Luminaires Crafted with Philippine Textiles, will run from 22 November to 06 December 2024.

END

PH Highlights Significance of 2016 Arbitral Ruling at Parliamentary Hearing on Italy’s Indo-Pacific Strategy

Hits: 58

Philippine Ambassador Neal Imperial (center) poses with the Italian Parliament’s members of the Sub-Committee on Foreign Policy for the Indo-Pacific (L-R): Congressman Dimitri Coin, Congresswoman Naike Groups, Committee Vice-President Congressman Andrea Orsini, Ambassador Imperial, Committee President Congressman Paolo Formentini, Congressman Giangiacomo Calovini, and Congressman Richard Ricciardi

The Philippines pitched for the 2016 Arbitral Ruling to be integrated into Italy’s Indo-Pacific strategy during a hearing of the Italian Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Foreign Policy for the Indo-Pacific. The hearing focused on the strategic projection of Italy and European countries in the Indo-Pacific region, as Italy formulates its own Indo-Pacific strategy. 

Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial was the sole ambassador invited to the latest hearing, as part of the fact-finding investigation of the larger Committee on Foreign and EU Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies that aims to establish the foundation on which to build a new strategy for Italy’s presence in the Indo-Pacific.

During the hearing, Ambassador Imperial highlighted the geostrategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and the vital role of all stakeholders, especially Italy, in upholding the rule of law and a rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea (SCS)/West Philippine Sea (WPS) based on the UN Convention on the law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral award. The award, which was issued by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016, is the Philippines’ contribution to international law, and sets reason and right above the rule of might in the South China Sea.

"We welcome Italy’s interest in charting its own Indo-Pacific strategy. We expect Italy, as a major stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific, to support the rule of law and a rules-based order in our region," stated Ambassador Imperial. He also emphasized the Philippines' commitment to upholding international law and peaceful dispute resolution, with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award as the twin anchors of its positions and activities in the SCS. 

Ambassador Imperial thanked and commended Italy for its consistent support to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, and recognizing the 2016 Arbitral Award as legally binding through the G7 Apulia Leaders’ Communiqué issued on 14 June 2024, under Italy’s G7 presidency. He also highlighted Italy’s and the G7’s condemnation of China’s disturbing harassment of Philippines supply and coast guard vessels in its own maritime space.

As the two countries celebrate the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Ambassador Imperial called for increased high-level visits, and closer defense and security relations between the Philippines and Italy. The Philippines is scheduled to host the second bilateral political consultations with Italy this year. 

To conclude his intervention, Ambassador Imperial echoed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent statement at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2024 that the Philippines is not a mere pawn in a game between powers, but a reliable partner with full agency to ensure that a rules-based order is in place in the Indo-Pacific. 

President Formentini, keenly aware that “tensions are high” in a “dangerous and risky” South China Sea, sympathized with the challenges faced by the Philippines despite the legal certainty of the 2016 Arbitral Award. He welcomed the timely and comprehensive interventions and said that he found them to be useful for the Sub-Committee’s efforts in formulating Italy’s Indo-pacific strategy.

He pointed out that the sovereignty of coastal states should not be threatened, but the opposite is happening. He added that the deployment of the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour and naval vessel Morosini to South China Sea demonstrates Italy's commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties with Indo-Pacific countries and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.  END

L'Ambasciatore filippino Neal Imperial (al centro) posa con i membri del Parlamento italiano della sottocommissione per la Politica Estera per l'Indo-Pacifico (da sinistra a destra): il deputato Dimitri Coin, la deputata Naike Groups, il vicepresidente della commissione il deputato Andrea Orsini, l’Ambasciatore Imperial, Presidente della commissione il deputato Paolo Formentini, il deputato Giangiacomo Calovini e il deputato Riccardo Ricciardi

Durante l'audizione con la Sottocommissione per la Politica Estera per l'Indo-Pacifico del Parlamento italiano, le Filippine hanno proposto che la sentenza arbitrale del 2016 venga integrata nella strategia Indo-Pacifica dell'Italia. L'audizione si è concentrata sulla proiezione strategica dell'Italia e dei paesi europei nella regione dell'Indo-Pacifico, mentre l'Italia sta costruendo la propria strategia indo-pacifica.

L'Ambasciatore filippino in Italia, Neal Imperial, è stato l'unico ambasciatore invitato all'ultima audizione, nell'ambito dell'indagine conoscitiva della più ampia Commissione per gli Affari Esteri e Comunitari della Camera dei Deputati che mira a gettare le basi su cui costruire una nuova strategia per la presenza italiana nell’Indo-Pacifico.

Durante l’audizione, l'Ambasciatore Imperial ha sottolineato l'importanza geostrategica della regione indo-pacifica e il ruolo vitale di tutte le parti interessate, in particolare dell'Italia, nel sostenere lo stato di diritto e un ordine marittimo basato su regole certe nel Mar Cinese Meridionale (SCS-South China Sea)/Mare Occidentale delle Filippine (WPS- West Philippine Sea) sulla base della Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sul diritto del mare (UNCLOS) e del lodo arbitrale del 2016. Il lodo, emesso dal Tribunale Arbitrale il 12 luglio 2016, è il contributo delle Filippine al diritto internazionale, e pone nel Mar Cinese Meridionale, la ragione e il diritto al di sopra della forza.

"Accogliamo con favore l'interesse dell'Italia nel tracciare la propria strategia nell'Indo-Pacifico. Ci aspettiamo che l'Italia, in quanto uno dei principali stakeholder nell'Indo-Pacifico, sostenga nella nostra regione lo stato di diritto e un ordine basato sulle regole", ha affermato l'Ambasciatore Imperial. Ha inoltre sottolineato l'impegno delle Filippine nel sostenere il diritto internazionale e la risoluzione pacifica delle controversie, con la Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sul diritto del mare (UNCLOS) e il lodo arbitrale del 2016 come pilastri gemelli delle sue posizioni e attività nell'SCS.

L'Ambasciatore Imperial ha ringraziato ed elogiato l'Italia per il suo costante sostegno al mantenimento di un Indo-Pacifico libero e aperto e per aver riconosciuto il lodo arbitrale del 2016 come giuridicamente vincolante attraverso il comunicato dei leader del G7 pugliese, sotto la presidenza italiana, emesso il 14 giugno 2024. Ha inoltre sottolineato la condanna dell'Italia e del G7 nei confronti delle inquietanti molestie da parte della Cina nei confronti delle navi filippine di rifornimento e della guardia costiera nel proprio spazio marittimo.

In occasione del 77° anniversario delle relazioni diplomatiche fra i due paesi, l'Ambasciatore Imperial ha auspicato un aumento delle visite ad alto livello e relazioni più strette in materia di difesa e sicurezza tra le Filippine e l'Italia. Quest’anno le Filippine ospiteranno la seconda consultazione politica bilaterale con l’Italia.

Per concludere il suo intervento, l'Ambasciatore Imperial ha fatto eco alla recente dichiarazione del Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in occasione dello Shangri-La Dialogue lo scorso maggio 2024, secondo cui le Filippine non sono una semplice pedina in un gioco tra potenze, ma un partner affidabile con piena libertà d'azione nel garantire che nell’Indo-Pacifico sia in vigore un ordine basato sulla normativa.

Il presidente Formentini, profondamente consapevole che “la tensione è alta” in un Mar Cinese Meridionale “pericoloso e rischioso”, ha simpatizzato con le sfide affrontate dalle Filippine nonostante la certezza del diritto del lodo arbitrale del 2016. Ha accolto con favore gli interventi tempestivi ed esaurienti e ha affermato di trovarli utili per l’impegno della Sotto-commissione nella formulazione della strategia indo-pacifica dell'Italia.

Ha sottolineato che la sovranità degli Stati costieri non dovrebbe essere minacciata, ma sta accadendo il contrario. Ha aggiunto che lo spiegamento della portaerei italiana Cavour e della nave militare Morosini nel Mar Cinese Meridionale dimostra l'impegno dell'Italia nel rafforzare i legami diplomatici con i paesi dell'Indo-Pacifico e nel mantenere un Indo-Pacifico libero e aperto. FINE