Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Maria Lumen Isleta (3rd from left, First Row) led officials from Manila during the Economic Consultations hosted by Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles (Extreme right, First Row).

The Annual Consular and Economic Consultations (CEC) of Philippine Foreign Service Posts in Canada were successfully held last 3 and 4 December 2020 in a virtual format, symbolic of the current work scheme necessitated by the pandemic. Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles hosted the event.

The participants to the CEC were principal officials from the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulates General in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Halifax, including officials from their respective attached agencies from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Tourism, Social Security System, and Pag-IBIG.

Resource speakers during the Consultations were led by Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Maria Lumen Isleta and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank R. Ferrer. Senior officials from the Office of International Economic Relations, Office of Migrant Workers Affairs, and Office of Strategic Communications and Research likewise provided updates to guide programs to be implemented next year.