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Statement of HON. TEODORO L. LOCSIN JR., Secretary of Foreign Affairs, at the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

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Delivered at Bab Ighli, Blue Zone in Marrakesh, Morocco on 10 December 2018]

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. We thank the Kingdom of Morocco for its warm and generous hospitality.

These are days of fear, fury and confusion. Some of our friends in today’s endeavor have withdrawn under pressure from their constituencies. And they must indeed respond to them for we are democracies. But while some of the lights are going out in the West as once they did, the bright shining lights of the likes of Germany, France and Spain continue to push back the darkness enveloping the migrant experience. The Philippines is not discouraged. The GCM enjoys near universal support and those not yet ready to commit recognize the clear need to discuss migration.

We have defeated the notion that migration is bad; quite the opposite. And we did this with facts and not frightful fantasies of losses of jobs no Westerner would take. We did it with reason by showing that migrants have been useful additions to host countries. Not fear but facts shaped our perception; reason not passion distinguished discussion at the UN if nowhere else, and we should be proud to acknowledge that a decent regard for the opinion of mankind dictated our decision to adopt the Global Compact today.

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FILIPINOS KEEP CHRISTMAS NOVENA TRADITION

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Filipino participants receive communion from Rev. Fr. Dominic Lim, OFM.

The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, led by Chargé d’Affaires, a.i Francisco Noel Fernandez III, sponsored and participated in the first Simbang Gabi mass last Saturday, 15 December, at the Assumption Parish Church in Ottawa. The mass was officiated by Rev. Fr. Dominic Lim, OFM.

The Simbang Gabi masses provide an opportunity for the Filipino diaspora in Ottawa to keep the Filipino Christmas novena tradition alive. The Philippine Embassy sponsors its first mass each year.

A salo-salo followed the mass where participants shared traditional Christmas fares, including pansit, lumpiang Shanghai, hamon, and cassava cake.

Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia leads the mobile consular outreach in Bermuda

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18 December 2018 – Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia led Embassy personnel (upper photograph) to conduct a mobile consular outreach in Hamilton, Bermuda from 15 to 18 December 2018. The consular jurisdiction on Bermuda was transferred to the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa in 2017.

Ambassador Garcia, Consul Greg Marie C. Mariño, and Consul Jeffrey P. Salik engaged leaders of the Filipino Community in Bermuda (right bottom photograph).

In her meeting with the Filipino community (left bottom photograph), Ambassador Garcia outlined the consular services that were made available to clients during the mission and took the opportunity to promote economic and cultural diplomacy. She assured the Filipino community in Bermuda of the Embassy’s commitment to meet their consular needs. -END-