05 September 2019 — Photo above shows (left to right) Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez, Dr. Jurgen Ratzinger, Managing Director for International Business of the Chamber of Commerce
& Industry (IHK) of Frankfurt am Main, Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia and Mr. Johannes Richter, Unit Head for India and Southeast Asia of IHK Frankfurt. The Chamber has 111,000
member companies, 22,000 of which have an international background.
Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia met with members of the Filipino-German community of Thuringia on 27 August 2019. It is estimated that there are around 200 Filipinos currently living in the former East German state. They include entrepreneurs, nurses, students and spouses of German nationals. The photo on the left includes Ms. Mariethel Bruhn (3rd from left), who received the Emily Roebling Prize in 2015 for her success as an entrepreneur and cultural bridge-builder.
Consul General Austria-Garcia (2nd from right) is shown with Dr. Mark Bremer, Head of the International Department of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Erfurt (leftmost), which counts 65,000 member-companies. Thuringia is known for its automotive, optics, mechanical engineering and medical technology sectors. Other growth industries include biotechnology and green energy. The state’s GDP is approximately Eu 61 billion.
Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia and Tourism Director Margarita Valdes join Dr. Stephan Siegler, President of the Frankfurt City Council, in officially opening the Music Stage of Museumsuferfest 2019 with a lechon-cutting ceremony.
27 August 2019 – Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia and Tourism Director Margarita Valdes of PDOT-Frankfurt officially opened the Music Stage of the 2019 Museumsuferfest in Frankfurt with a lechon-cutting ceremony on 23 August 2019. They were joined in the stage by Dr. Stephan Siegler, President of the Frankfurt City Council, and other local officials.
Philippine all-girl group 4th Impact electrified the audience at the Music Stage
of the 2019 Museumsuferfest in Frankfurt last August 23 to 25.
PDOT-Frankfurt again partnered with the Frankfurt Music Stage, one of the biggest stages in the Festival that features artists and bands performing a mix of local and international hits. Included among the Music Stage’s performers this year were popular German personalities Kerstin Ott, Julian David, Samuel Roesch and Vincent Gross. The Philippines was represented by the energetic all-girl group 4th Impact, who gained international recognition for their participation in the television show, X-Factor UK. Their video on YouTube showing the group’s audition has garnered over 140 million views, the most in the TV show’s history. The quartet electrified Filipinos and Germans alike with their rendition of chart toppers by iconic artists Freddie Mercury, Pink, Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Jessie J, among others.
Completing the visitors’ “Philippine” experience were a photo booth with an idyllic beach setting in the country’s islands as a background and the food truck, Mr. Adobo, which served dishes that included lechon kawali, lumpia and chicken barbecue.
Museumsuferfest is the biggest annual event in Frankfurt, hosting around 2 million visitors from various parts of Germany and neighboring countries. For 3 days during the summer, Frankfurt’s museum bank along the Main River is converted into one big festival with stages and booths covering an 8-kilometer stretch on both sides of the river. (END)
23 August 2019 — In celebration of the 2019 Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, two Ilocano documentary films, Am-amma (2018) and Tata Pilo (2019), were shown at the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt on 23 August 2019. The films featured the Tingguian weaving culture and the legacy of Teofilo “Tata Pilo” Garcia, a National Living Treasure awardee for his traditional ‘kattukong’ hat-making in Abra. The event was attended by some 35 members of the Filipino-German community in Frankfurt, who expressed appreciation for the cultural activity and opportunity to learn about Tingguian weaving and ‘kattukong’ hat-making. END
The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany wishes to congratulate Honorable Congresswoman Loren Legarda for being named as one of the Deputy Speakers for the Eighteenth Congress of the Philippines. The three-term Senator, now Congresswoman, was instrumental in the opening of the Consulate General this year. She has fully supported the Consulate General’s economic and cultural diplomacy initiatives.
Again, congratulations Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda!
The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt and the Department of Tourism Office participated in the German-Asian Business Circle’s (DAW) “Top Destinations in Asia” tourism event on 15 July 2019, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Offenbach, Hesse. Focused on selected Asian countries, the activity was an opportunity for Philippine officials to present its tourist destinations and address travelers’ concerns.
Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia took part in the panel discussion, which tackled travelers’ safety and security considerations, among other topics, while Ms. Margarita Valdes, Tourism Director of PDOT-Frankfurt, presented an overview of the Philippines’ tourism industry and its main destinations, including Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Manila and Banaue.
Ms. Cristina Concepcion, Chair of the Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) Women Empowerment Committee, talks about the financial technology landscape in the Philippines during the MAP delegation’s roadshow activity at the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt on 01 July 2019.
05 July 2019 – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt organized an economic roadshow with a delegation from the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) in selected cities under its jurisdiction from 1 to 3 July 2019 with the theme, “Shaping a Competitive Future.” The roadshow aimed to entice attendees to consider the Philippines as a viable investment destination and source of talent, and apprise them of the unprecedented developments achieved in the country’s economy in recent years.
The MAP delegation included Ms. Carol Dominguez, Member of the MAP Board of Governors, Ms. Cristina Concepcion, Chair of MAP’s Women Empowerment Committee, and Mr. Cesar Averia, MAP member. Also participating in the roadshow and providing support were Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia, Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez, Dr. Axel Neumahr, Philippine Honorary Consul to Baden-Wurttemberg, and Dr. Stefan Detig, Philippine Honorary Consul to Bavaria.
Ms. Carol Dominguez, member of MAP’s Board of Governors, delivers a presentation on developments in the Philippine economy at the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg on 02 July 2019.
The roadshow events were held at the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt on 01 July, the premises of Reith Neumahr Attorneys where the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart is housed on 02 July, and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs on 03 July. Approximately 30 to 40 guests participated in each of the activities, with representatives from the corporate sector, business chambers, media, consular corps, and Filipino-German community.
The speakers’ presentations focused on several aspects of the Philippine economy including the country’s unique selling points, key industry drivers and the current administration’s priorities. Also discussed was the growth of financial technology in the Philippines, termed a “game changer” for its immense potential to provide millions of Filipinos with access to credit. Also given emphasis were the positive traits of Filipino workers, developments in the country’s educational system and the deployment of overseas workers. The presentations were followed by question-and-answer sessions.
The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Energy & Technology collaborated with the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt and Philippine Honorary Consulate in Bavaria in staging the MAP roadshow event in Munich on 03 July 2019. The Ministry previously hosted Philippine Trade & Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez during his 2017 visit.
The roadshow initiative forms part of the Consulate General’s economic diplomacy activities and its efforts to further heighten bilateral trade and investment levels, which stood at US$4.65 billion in 2017. Germany ranked as the Philippines’ 11th largest trading partner and continues to be the Philippines’ top trade partner in the European Union. (END)
In celebration of the 121st Independence Day of the Philippine Republic, the Philippine Honorary Consulate (PHC) in Stuttgart, headed by Dr. Axel Neumahr, recently held a 3-day Independence Day celebration in various areas of Baden-Württemberg with “culture” as its central theme.
(Photo shows from left to right) PHC Stuttgart’s Consular Assistant, Rhoda Steegmaier, PCG Frankfurt’s Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez, DOT Frankfurt Director, Meggie Valdez, Honorary Consul Dr. Azel Neumahr, Amb. Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega, Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia and former Honorary Consul General Prof. Gerhard Zeidler.
The IMusicapella Choir with Amb. Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega and members of the PHC Stuttgart’s Team
The celebration kicked-off at the Philippine Honorary Consulate’s office in Stuttgart with the newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to Germany H. E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega, together with Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia of the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt as Guest Speakers. Both officials delivered an Independence Day Message at a Reception for members of Baden-Württemberg’s Consular Corps, Stuttgart’s local officials, business community and members of the Filipino community.
During his welcome address, Dr. Neumahr emphasized the Honorary Consulate’s commitment in further developing Philippine-German relations through its support for various economic and tourism undertakings of the Philippine government and by addressing the various needs of the Filipino community in Baden-Württemberg.
Ambassador Dizon-De Vega, for her part, encouraged more dynamic engagement between the Philippines and Germany, particularly in the economic field. She likewise stated, paraphrasing National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, that “Germany will always occupy a special place in the pages of our history by providing a welcoming haven for Dr. Rizal during the creation of many of his most enduring works.”
Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia also shared with the audience the early beginnings of the bilateral relations between both Germany and the Philippines and emphasized the Consulate General’s commitment to enhance relations between the two countries.
The multi-awarded church-based Choir Imusicapella impressed the Guests with its rendition of various folk, religious and pop songs shortly before an array of Filipino and German dishes were served while guests expand their business network.
The next day, a second celebration was done at the St. Maria Church where a Special Independence Day Mass presided over by Filipino Chaplain Fr. Jonathan Galope Ramoso was held. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega delivered a message and joined members of the Filipino community of Stuttgart and nearby cities. The event was jointly organized by the Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart, the Philippinische Muttersprache Gemeinschaft (PMG), and the Philippine American German Association in Stuttgart Area (PAGASA).
The 3-day celebration capped off with a full-concert of Imusicapella, held at the Event Hall of Birkenfeld city in Pforzheim through the initiative of the Philippinisch-Deutsch Verein Nordschwarzwald e.V., one of the Filipino organizations in the region of Baden-Württemberg, that as it celebrated its 25th year anniversary.
Financial pledges, collections during the mass and proceeds from ticket sales for all concerts held during the 3-day event were donated to Imusicapella as a collective support from the region of Baden-Württemberg for the group’s 3-month European Tour which will conclude in Arezzo, Italy when the group represents the Philippines at the European Grand Prix for Chorale Singing in August 2019.
Düsseldorf, 22 June 2019 – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt (PCG Frankfurt) conducted a Consular Outreach Mission at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Düsseldorf last June 22. Consul Rogelio Villanueva, Jr. led the outreach team in providing passport, notarials, civil registry and other consular services.
Consulate personnel led by Consul Rogelio Villanueva Jr. process applications for renewal of passports during the consular outreach mission at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Düsseldorf last June 22.
On left photo: Ms. Susan Gonzales checks the documents of an applicant for civil registration while Ms. Lolit Balansag assists applicants for legalization of documents. Right photo shows an applicant checking the list of requirements at the registration area.
Ms. Honey Dy-Fabroa (left photo) and Ms. Dona Mallari (right photo) guide passport applicants for the photo capture during the final step of their passport application.
Members of the Filipino-German community in Düsseldorf and nearby areas within the federal state of North-Rhine Westphalia took advantage of the outreach mission held in the city center of Düsseldorf, to avail themselves of consular services. The Consulate General rendered a total of 130 services during the event, composed of 98 passport applications, 11 civil registry and 21 legalization of documents.
Based on the latest regional statistical reports, there are approximately 4,235 Filipinos living in North-Rhine Westphalia, the second largest number of Filipino residents within Germany, after Bavaria.
The Consulate General in Frankfurt has already conducted two outreach activities since it re-opened in January this year. Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia said that outreach missions have been scheduled throughout the year to bring consular services closer to the members of the Filipino-German community in the areas under its jurisdiction. (Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Bavaria).
