SHANGHAI – Female diplomats of the Philippine Consulate General and their children joined colleagues in the Consular Society Shanghai (CSS) at a fun and socially meaningful commemoration of “Children’s Day”.

Observed every June 1 in China and several other countries, “Children’s Day” is marked to highlight the importance of the well-rounded development of children as inheritors and future drivers and pillars of societies. The CSS Children’s Day event was held at Life Hub in Shanghai’s popular Hongkou District. The program included a Charity Puppet Show, the creation and exchange of greeting cards, and a Charity Auction that included works by special needs children.

The Philippine Consulate General was represented by CSS members Attaché Jeannie F. Petrola and Attaché Gigi Marie U. Llanera, together with their respective children.

Attaché Petrola participated in the charity auction, acquiring the highly imaginative painting “Pearl-Scaled Dragon” by 16-year-old Zhang Rujian.

Founded in the 1990s as the ‘Consular Spouses of Shanghai’, the organization changed its name in 2024 to reflect its broader membership of all active diplomats, consular officials, and family members in Shanghai’s large consular corps.

A non-profit and apolitical organization, the CSS provides a supportive and engaging community for diplomats assigned in Shanghai and their spouses. It organizes cultural tours, museum visits, charity event and other activities.

Female diplomats of the Philippine Consulate General have been active in the CSS since 2021, in advancement of the Mission’s networking and public and cultural diplomacy goals. END