Consular Services Appointment System
Consul General Ignacio, Consular Corps trace history of National People’s Congress in pictures
Shanghai – Consul General Josel F. Ignacio joined diplomats from 31 other consular missions last 22 July at a photo exhibit tracing the history of the National People's Congress of China (NPC).
Staged at the historic Shanghai Workers' Cultural Palace in Huangpu District, “Exploration to the System of People’s Congress and its Practice in Shanghai” (sic) featured a well curated collection of historic photographs and facsimiles of historical documents. The exhibit afforded guests a panoramic view of the evolution of the NPC from its beginnings in the Republican era, through the establishment of the People’s Republic, up until the present. Mirroring its stature as birthplace of the CPC, the exhibition also highlighted Shanghai’s prominent role in the People’s Congress’ hagiography.
The tour was hosted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress (SMPC) led by Professor Gao Deyi, Member of the SMPC Standing Committee and Chairman of its Foreign Affairs Committee. Supporting him were officials of the Shanghai Municipal Government’s Foreign Affairs Office led by Deputy Director General Fu Jihong.
The participating diplomats toured a second exhibition at the premises dubbed “Craftsmen of the Great Country”. Featuring a mix of live demonstrations, displays of vintage items, scale models, and multimedia presentations. the focus was on China’s rich heritage of traditional crafts and artisans, and how the underlying creativity, skill and inventiveness helped drive China’s journey to modernization, industrialization, and technological advancement. END
Consulate General touts PH Investment Climate; Seeks new cooperation avenues at Ningbo SME event
Shanghai, 26 July 2021 – “Greater economic cooperation with Ningbo City and investments in the Philippines from its burgeoning SME sector”. This was the pitch of Philippine Consulate General Economic Officer Consul Conrado B. Demdem, Jr., and Commercial Vice Consul Mario Tani at the “SME, New Wave” event in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, on 21 July.
The annual financial technology (fintech) meeting, organized by Shanghai-based fintech startup XTransfer with the support of the Ningbo chapter of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) – China’s largest state-sanctioned institution for foreign trade -- saw the attendance of over 600 individuals representing over 100 SMEs.
The Consulate General’s officials used the event as a platform to identify and advance fresh avenues of cooperation with Ningbo and Zhejiang’s business community in fields such as cross-border e-commerce (CBEC). Vice Consul Tani delivered a presentation highlighting the advantages and attractiveness of the Philippines, with its young population, large labor force, stable manufacturing costs, and a huge domestic market. He underscored the government’s strong policy support for innovation and technology start-ups, as well as incentives such as those available under the recently enacted Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.
“The rise of ‘digitalized’ trade and healthy e-commerce sectors in both the Philippines and China invariably contribute to bilateral commerce and opens new avenues for engagement”, Consul Demdem emphasized, during a media interview on the event’s fringes.
Earlier, Consul Demdem and VC Tani had a brief interaction with XTransfer CEO and founder DENG Guguo and CCPIT-Ningbo Vice Chairman YE Hua Yu, and made the same pitch. They were joined by Mr. LǙ Kejian, CEO of China Merchants Venture (CMV), an investment firm and subsidiary of China Merchants Group, the country’s largest state-owned company engaged in port management. CEO DENG committed to follow through on his company’s proposed expansion of CBEC operations in the Philippines.
Ningbo, a city of 9 million people in Zhejiang Province, has emerged in recent years as one of China’s international trading powerhouses, with a strong SME sector. Its economic strides, coupled with larger Zhejiang’s status as the Philippines’ fifth 5th largest trading partner in 2020 among mainland Chinese provinces carries with it the potential of greater economic cooperation with the Philippines. END
Paalala sa mga Kababayan: Pag-iingat sa Bagyong In-Fa
“Paalala sa mga Kababayan: Pag-iingat sa Bagyong In-Fa"
Consulate General lends presence and support to Filipino Teacher Organization’s Speakers Series
School children are not the only ones using the summer break for continuous learning, as The Filipino Teachers (TFT) held the latest installment of its Speaker Series in Jing’an District on topics of interest to Filipino educators in Shanghai and beyond.
TFT President Gem Calope said the Series aim to bolster the teaching skills of Filipino educators and further raise their stature within China’s education sector.
Three speakers of diverse backgrounds shared their expertise to onsite and online participants. Shenzhen-based lawyer Edgar Choi lectured on the basics of Chinese Labor Law; Filipino advertising executive and fulltime “mompreneuer” Carol Ong, shared tips on harnessing creativity, and nurse and Montessori teacher Shayne Beldia, spoke on “Learning by Nature” and maximizing outdoor learning opportunities for kids.
Consul Marlowe A. Miranda offered felicitations to the TFT for supporting the personal and professional development of Filipino teachers in China. Founded in 2018 in Shanghai, TFT is a non-profit social organization of Filipino educators in the country. END