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PH Ambassador, Land Bank Exec Discuss Financial Services for Filipinos in Qatar
Mon, Apr 21st 2025
article thumbnailDOHA 21 April 2025 — Philippine Ambassador to the State of Qatar, His Excellency Mardomel Celo D. Melicor, met with Vincent Paul Ferrer, Land Bank Overseas Remittance Marketing Officer, at the...
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Temporary Suspension of Embassy Operations on 01 May 2025, Labor Day
Wed, Apr 23rd 2025
The general public is advised that the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Doha will be closed on 01 May 2025, Thursday, in observance of Labor Day. The Doha OV Precinct for #Halalan2025...
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Philippine Ambassador to the State of Qatar Alan L. Timbayan delivers his remarks at the meeting. (Doha PE photo) 

DOHA 16 January 2020 — The Philippine Embassy in Doha held a general meeting on 10 January 2020 with the members of the Filipino community in the State of Qatar to discuss the current situation in the region and the efforts being made by the Embassy in monitoring these developments to ensure the safety and security of the Filipinos in the State of Qatar.

Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan L. Timbayan thanked the cooperation of the Filipino community and assured them of its preparedness to render necessary assistance to all Filipinos who will be affected in case the current tension in the region escalates. The President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, who arrived in Doha on 09 January 2020, also attended the meeting and announced that the Philippine government stands ready to ensure the safety and security of all Filipinos in Iraq, Iran, and other countries in the Middle East.

The Embassy briefed the community on the US-Iran conflict and the latest developments in the region. The Embassy also informed the community that contingency plans are in place for all Filipinos in the country in case of any eventualities.

The Embassy called on the Filipino community to be updated with proper information and to be prudent and vigilant at all times. END

Consul General to Doha Roussel R. Reyes briefs the audience on the developments in the region. (Doha PE photo)

The President Special Envoy to the Middle East, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy A. Cimatu (in plaid inner polo) addresses questions of media representatives. (Doha PE photo)

Members of the Filipino community listen attentively to the briefing. (Doha PE photo)

Duterte Administration 2019 Year-end Report
A new dawn of a decade draws near and practically all Filipinos, or 93% of Philippine nationals, are brimming with hope and positivity as they approach the New Year. They can cling on to such optimism as Filipinos have so much to look forward to in 2020 under the Duterte Administration.
2019 has been an exemplary year for the Philippines. Last April, our country has been given by an established business intelligence corporation with a BBB+ investment rating – the highest credit rating the Philippines has ever received – which attests to the people’s confidence on the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The country's Gross Domestic Product grew to 6.2% in the third quarter of 2019, which is within our “fighting target” for economic growth to remain on track with President Duterte’s socioeconomic goal, including the objective of lowering poverty incidence to 14%, by the end of his term in 2022. Similarly, the Philippines has leapfrogged to 54th place among 129 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019, thereby improving its ranking by 19 notches from 73rd in 2018 in the aspect of innovation performance and economic progress.
The President has invested in his political capital wisely with -- upon the recommendation of his economic team – difficult but game-changing reforms, such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, as well as the Build, Build, Build Infrastructure Program, among others, which are important in achieving our goal of bringing a more comfortable life for all law-abiding Filipinos.
Three years after President Duterte took office, the Department of Public Works and Highways has reported the completion of 9,845 kilometers of road, 2,709 bridges, 4,536 flood control projects, 82 evacuation centres, and 71,803 classrooms. As of November of 2019, it has been reported that there are 35 constructions ongoing, 32 projects to commence construction within 6-8 months, 21 in the advanced stages of government approval and 12 in the advanced stages of feasibility studies. In addition, 38 projects are projected to be completed by 2022, 22 will be partially operational or at substantial completion, and 40 are to be completed beyond 2022. All of these will commence construction within the term of this Administration.
We are likewise making headway in our poverty alleviation efforts. Even the President’s harshest critics have admitted that the number of poor Filipinos declined faster than expected in the last three years. Poverty incidence, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority, dropped to 16.6% in 2019 from 23.3% in 2015. This means that 5.9 million Filipinos have been lifted out of poverty.
PRRD has signed landmark pieces of legislation and executive measures in the past three years, such as free tuition in state universities and colleges, free irrigation for farmers, free internet access in public places, institutionalization of feeding programs for public school students, free medicine and financial support to indigent patients, anti-hospital deposit law, mandatory Philhealth coverage for persons with disabilities (PWDs), and prohibition on illegal labor subcontracting resulting in the regularization of hundreds of thousands of workers. In 2019 alone, the Chief Executive has approved more key legislative measures like the Universal Healthcare Act, Mobile Number Portability Act, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave, the Magna Carta for the Poor, the Student Fare Discount Act, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Sagip Saka Act, the Murang Kuryente Act, and the National Integrated Cancer Act, among many others.
The President has likewise distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries and farmers. The Chief Executive has issued Executive Order No. 75 (s. 2019), mandating all government agencies to identify government-owned lands suitable for agriculture for distribution. The issuance has practically covered unused government-owned lands, thereby making available at least 300,000 hectares more for the agrarian reform program.
The Duterte Administration has repatriated thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by amnesty programs implemented by several countries. For the returning OFWs, they have been provided with training and livelihood assistance for their reintegration. From January to November 2019, a total of 141,242 OFWs have benefitted from the Assistance to Nationals Fund, while a total of 5,314 OFWs have been helped by the Legal Assistance Fund, of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
President Duterte has remained faithful to his campaign promises and continues to be adamant in his resolve to curb the illegal drug industry and apparatus in the country. With his firm messages against big and small-time drug lords, we have seen voluntary surrenders in the thousands from drug users and pushers. Drug addicts have been given a chance to mend their ways. To be more specific, 178,535 drug surrenderees nationwide have completed the community-based drug rehabilitation program in November of 2019. Related to this, index crime has critically sunk since PRRD took office. In July 2019, for example, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has reported an 11% decrease in crime volume.
President Duterte has initiated strategies and measures to thwart the local communist rebellion from spreading as well. He, too, halted the spread of extremist ideas in the local soil, as well as those flourishing from different parts of the globe.
President Duterte, as Head of State, has also pursued an independent foreign policy by removing our country’s subservience to the West while improving our relations with all other countries, such as Russia, China and those belonging in the Southeast Asian region. The notable effects of which are the return of the historic Balangiga bells from the United States, and the reshipment of trash back to Canada. President Duterte’s independent foreign policy direction has been making its doors open to more foreign direct investments, creating plenty of livelihood and job opportunities for Filipinos and making our economic growth robust, sustainable, and inclusive.
PRRD has made the Philippines one of the strongest economies and growth leaders in the region by changing its business climate that prompted the influx of foreign investments. It is worth mentioning that the Board of Investments has breached its P1-trillion 2019 investment target as of October 2019, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.
During this time, the President has also strengthened local domestic regions, and with the successful referendum that established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the normalization under the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro is now on track.
There are no sacred cows in this Administration. PRRD has fired military and high officials in the government for corruption or incompetence, even including his longtime friends and allies. In 2019, he has directed the abolition of the Road Board and the disestablishment of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission as part of this Administration’s anti-corruption drive and streamlining of government functions.
The country also successfully hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games nearing the end of 2019, and at the same time, became the overall champion with a record-breaking 149 gold and 385 medal haul overall.
Finally, the President’s Approval and Trust ratings remain at an all-time high. According to the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey, Duterte’s approval rating improved to 87% — 9% higher from the previous quarter which is 78%. His trust rating, on the other hand, soared to 83%, which is 8% higher compared to the September result of 75%. As proof to the Chief Executive's stratospheric ratings, those that Duterte endorsed during the midterm elections won considerable number of seats in both chambers of Congress, thereby increasing the likelihood of the President’s pro-people reforms and laws be supported and passed at the soonest possible time.
Much has been done in the past three and a half years under the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The Filipino people can expect the same number of significant achievements, if not more, in the remainder of his term. And as we often say, even as most of the Filipinos are in awe of PRRD’s accomplishments, the best is yet to come.
Salvador S. Panelo Chief Presidential Legal Counsel & Presidential Spokesperson
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Download the full report here https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xDJ2h3UffnMX80545FSHBej5gm8s44q5

H Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi meets with Qatar’s Minister of  State for Energy Affairs H.E. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi. (Qatar Petroleum photo)

DOHA 13 December 2019 –– To discuss prospective bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and the State of Qatar in the energy sector, Philippine Energy Secretary Honorable Alfonso G. Cusi met with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, His Excellency Saad Sheria Al-Kaabi, during the Secretary’s visit to Doha on 12 to 13 November 2019.

Secretary Cusi was accompanied in his meeting by Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan L. Timbayan, Philippine National Oil Company President and Chief Executive Officer Reuben S. Lista, Department of Energy Secretary Donato D. Marcos, and the Embassy’s Third Secretary and Vice Consul Benjamin A. Celedio, Jr. END

 

PH Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (center) poses with his accompanying delegation consisting of Vice Consul Benjamin A. Celedio, Jr. (left most), Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos (second from left), Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan L. Timbayan (second from right), and Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) President and CEO Reuben S. Lista (rightmost). (Doha PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.dohape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.

Embassy officials and staff pose for a photo after the screening of Filipino film Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap’. (Doha PE photo)

DOHA 26 November 2019 ─ The Philippine Embassy in Qatar organized the screening of the 2013 Filipino film, “Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap” by Director Jose Javier Reyes at the Drama Theater of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation on 31 October 2019.

The film screening was graced by Katara International Affairs Manager Maryam Majed Al-Saad, Indonesian Ambassador Muhammad Basri Sidehabi, and Korean Ambassador Chang-Mo Kim. 

The movie is a story of loyalty, sacrifice, and dedication of a nanny named Teresa who served a middle-class family for six decades only to find herself in the middle of bickering over her custody among the siblings she cared for, following the death of the family’s matriarch and the selling of the family’s ancestral house where she has served for years. 

The movie hit close to home to many of the Filipino expatriate viewers who know of a “Teresa” either back home or overseas. 

A total of 251 viewers watched the screening, of which 204 were Filipinos while the rest were foreign expatriates. 

The movie is the Embassy’s debut film under its project dubbed as, “Pinilakang Tabing.”  The Embassy partnered with Katara and the Film Development Council of the Philippines to make the film screening possible. END

 

Philippine Ambassador to the State of Qatar Alan L. Timbayan  (second from left) is flanked by Katara International Affairs Manager Maryam Majed Al-Saad (leftmost), Indonesian Ambassador Muhammad Basri Sidehabi (second from right), and Korean Ambassador Chang-Mo Kim (rightmost).  (Doha PE photo)

 

Katara-edited official poster of the movie. (Doha PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.dohape.dfa.gov.ph   or https://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.

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