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FAO extols contributions to economic and cultural bonds

CG Farewell Call on SHFAO

SHANGHAI –  Outgoing Philippine Consul General in Shanghai Josel F. Ignacio paid a farewell call on the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) on 05 November at the latter’s Headquarters on West Nanjing Road.

CG Ignacio, who has been named Philippine Ambassador to India, is concluding his assignment in Shanghai on 13 January 2024. He took up his post in Shanghai on 12 April 2021.

The Consul General was received by Deputy Director General Mr. Bei Zhaojian, Consular Affairs Director Ms. Yan Yanqiu, Deputy Director Mr. Chen Yongliang, and official Ms. Tan Lian. CG Farewell Call on SHFAO2

Consul General Ignacio was accompanied by Consul John Francis S. Herrera, Vice Consul Richard L. Recella, and Ms. Tang Mingxian.

DDG Bei conveyed sincere and ardent appreciation on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal Government for CG Ignacio’s active involvement in the city’s initiatives and events with the consular corps.

He lauded the Consul General’s assiduous efforts to buttress and boost economic, cultural and people-to-people bonds between the Philippines and China’s financial capital throughout his term.

In turn, Consul General Ignacio recapped the Consulate General’s major achievements during his term, including the expansion of the mission’s facilities and operations to support people-to-people exchanges, and PCG’s pioneering work on the revival of Tour Group Visas and the electronic visa for Chinese nationals. He thanked the Municipal Government for supporting the work of mission.

CG Farewell Call on SHFAO3

Special mention was made of the strong cooperation cultivated by PCG and FAO in 2022 in relation to PCG’s efforts to assist Filipinos, as Shanghai entered its challenging bout with COVID-19, culminating in a two-month lockdown.

CG Ignacio expressed gratitude as well for his having been featured by the Municipal Party paper, Jiěfàng Daily (解放日报) in October – the first Philippine Consul General to be so recognized -- on the FAO’s nomination.

The FAO thanked CG Ignacio for the PH Country Team’s full backing of the annual China International Import Expo (CIIE). CG Ignacio proudly reported the CIIE’s rise as the Philippines’ most fruitful overseas trade event, netting USD 1.1 billion in sales and orders in the most recent iteration.

Both sides agreed to support mutual investment by Filipino and Shanghainese firms, and to pursue more activities to enhance the 40-year-old sister city ties between Metro Manila and Shanghai, including reciprocal visits by officials.

In sending off the Consul General, DDG Bei conveyed the city’s best wishes, and expressed the hope that the CG Ignacio would be able to continue visiting Shanghai in the years to come.  END

cebpac yearend1

SHANGHAI – Travel industry optimism added to holiday cheer as Cebu Pacific reported on its 2023 accomplishments and plans for 2024 at the year-end reception of the airline’s

Shanghai Representative Office for local travel industry partners on 20 December at the Anokhi Restaurant, Xuhui District.

Hosting the gathering were Sales Manager Ms. Kelly Tao and Sales Supervisor Mr. Sam Ni.

The Cebu Pacific Team reported on the steady recovery of flight connections between the Philippines and Mainland China, and the airline’s expanding fleet of Airbus units.

The airline is optimistic about prospects in 2024, with planned further increases in frequency.

cebpac yearend2Guest of Honor Consul General Josel F. Ignacio congratulated Cebu Pacific on its overall, system-wide gains in 2023. He outlines the Philippine Country Team’s various initiatives in 2023 to support tourism into the Philippines and through it, the health not just of communities in destinations, but of the airline, hospitality and travel industry as a whole.

The Consul General cited, among others, the round-the-clock work of the Consulate General’s visa staff; the revival of the Tour Group Visas for Chinese nationals in April 2023; and the implementation of the Philippine electronic visa between August and November.

He called for a concerted effort to boost promotion and further enhance traveler experience in Philippine destinations, as attendees acknowledged remaining challenges such as the continuing preference of Chinese travelers for domestic tourism, post-pandemic.

Cebu Pacific and travel industry representatives all expressed appreciation for the Consulate General’s efforts. END

atndialogue

SHANGHAI –  Animated and candid exchanges permeated the “Dialogue on Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN)” hosted by the Consulate General (PCG) and visiting DFA officials on 16 December with representatives of Filipino organizations.

The forum was held as part of the PCG’s ATN program, taking advantage of the presence of representatives of the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA).

atndialogue2Following keynote remarks by Consul General Josel F. Ignacio, Consul John Francis S. Herrera gave a briefing on the PCG’s ATN work and activities. He touched on the profile of the Filipino Community in eastern China, challenges commonly encountered by Filipinos based on interaction with kababayans and cases handled by PCG, and a survey of relevant local work and immigration policies.

Visiting OUMWA Special Assistant Charleson C. Hermosura delivered a well-received presentation on the DFA’s ATN Mandate, the mandate of the Department of Migrant Workers, the utilization of the ATN Fund, and Legal Assistance services.

Weaving personal accounts and anecdotes into their talk, the Forum’s resource persons provided an illuminating take on about PCG’s and the larger Philippine Foreign Service’s valiant and tireless ATN efforts around the world.

The open forum saw Filipino community leaders engage in a cordial no-holds-barred discussion with PCG and OUMWA officials, whose readiness to field all queries was greatly appreciated by participants, who came from as far as Hangzhou.

“We are at your service”, emphasized Consul General Ignacio, as he closed the discussions. Further consultations ensued during the fellowship merienda that wrapped up the event.

The OUMWA Team was in Shanghai from 14 to 17 December. Aside from discussions with PCG on ATN service delivery, the team conducted a visit to a correctional facility and called on Shanghai immigration authorities. END

atndialogue3

Matters Impacting Filipinos in Shanghai Discussed

atn1
Consul General Ignacio leads PCG and OUMWA Team in discussions with Entry-Exit Bureau Officials

SHANGHAI –  On 14 December, Consul General Josel F. Ignacio led a delegation from the PCG and the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) in a meeting with the top echelon of the Bureau of Entry-Exist Administration (BEEA) of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB).

The Philippine officials were received by Director General Mme. QIU Ling. Accompanying the Consul General were Consul John Francis S. Herrera, OUMWA mission head Special Assistant Charleson C. Hermosura, and Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Attaché Nenita G. Feliciano and ATN Officers Victor D. Galanza, Lauren S. Arce, and Carmela H. Bernaldez.

Both sides engaged in open and extensive discussions on issues of mutual import. The PCG emphasized its mandate to advance and safeguard the welfare of Filipino nationals in the Municipality, while respecting host country laws. Both sides acknowledged the importance of open communication between the PCG and the BEEA.

The BEEA comprehensively addressed the Consulate Generals queries and requests for clarification on topics such as entry visas and residence permits, penalties for immigration and visa condition violations, as well as particular cases of concern.

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 CG Ignacio, Special Assistant Hermosura and PH officials with BEEA Chief Qiu and colleagues.

The PCG also took the opportunity to update the BEEA of initiatives to facilitate the travel of Chinese nationals to the Philippines, such as the revival the Tour Group Visa scheme for Chinese outbound tour groups in April, followed by the beta test implementation of the Philippine e-Visa between August and November. Both saw the first issuances in Shanghai.

The call on the BEEA was arranged in consonance with the visit to Shanghai of the OUMWA officials. The Team visited the city to ascertain the overall situation of Filipinos, in furtherance of the DFA’s ATN mandate as implemented by PCG.

The OUMWA Team visited Shanghai from 13 to 17 December, following its mission to Xiamen. Aside from discussions with PCG on ATN service delivery, the team visited correctional facilities on 15 December. The following day, they joined PCG in a Forum on ATN concerns with Filipino organizations. END

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