GOVPH

PH Embassy in Doha Provides Passport Assistance in Hospital

A consular staff encodes the data of baby Gabrielle while the mother looks on. (Doha PE photo)

DOHA 12 March 2019 – The Philippine Embassy in Doha rendered special passport assistance to baby “Gabrielle” (not her real name) at Qatar’s Sidra Medical and Research Center on 4 March 2019.

The Embassy brought its passport data capturing machine to the medical facility that specializes in women and child healthcare. A team from the Embassy’s consular and assistance-to-nationals sections facilitated the capture of photo and passport data of baby Gabrielle.

Baby Gabrielle could not be brought by her parents to the Embassy because she has been under incubation since her birth in December 2018 for having been prematurely born.

Qatar immigration policy requires that a newly born expatriate child should be able to acquire an appropriate visa within three months from birth to avoid hefty immigration fines that will be imposed by the day.

With the recent successful mobile consular service for baby Gabrielle, her parents will soon be able to regularize the child’s status in Qatar without having to pay any immigration penalties. END

Baby Gabrielle is seen fast asleep in her incubator. (Doha PE photo)

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

ASEAN Food Festival Kicks Off in Doha

ASEAN Committee in Doha Ambassadors join St. Regis Doha General Manager (fourth from left) in cutting the ribbon, which marks the official opening of the ASEAN Food Festival. (Embassy of Brunei Darussalam photo)

DOHA 07 March 2019 – The ASEAN Committee in Doha (ACD), in partnership with St. Regis Doha, successfully launched the week-long ASEAN Food Festival (AFF) at the Vine Restaurant in St. Regis Doha on 28 February 2018.

The dinner launch featured a wide selection of signature dishes and cuisines from ASEAN member-states with missions to Qatar. The cool night breeze of the winter season complemented the outdoor dining experience of guests from the diplomatic community, the government and private sectors, and the media.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Ambassador Nguyen Dinh Tao, as the current ACD chair, welcomed guests to the Festival.

Guests were introduced to a wide array of authentic ASEAN cuisine ranging from appetizers to main courses and desserts, specially prepared by visiting chefs from ASEAN and in-house chefs of the hotel.

The guests were also mesmerized by the various cultural performances during the night, including the cultural number performed by the Philippine International School Doha.

Adding extra attraction to the launching of the Food Festival is its timing, as it was rolled out during the special barbeque night of the Vine Restaurant.

The ASEAN Food Festival runs from 28 February to 8 March 2019.

The ACD is made up of the embassies of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. END

Ambassador Alan L. Timbayan (third from left) poses for a photo with other ASEAN Ambassadors and Chefs of St. Regis Doha. (Embassy of Singapore photo)

A dance troupe from the Philippine International School Doha performs Sayaw sa Bangko during the ASEAN Food Festival. (Doha PE photo)

Among the Filipino food showcased during the dinner launching of the ASEAN Food Festival include Silog meals (top photo), Chicken Inasal (below left photo), Beef Kaldereta (below left photo), Biko (below right photo) and Halo-halo (below right photo). (Doha PE photos)

PHILIPPINES BACKS MALPASS AS WORLD BANK CHIEF

Republic of the Philippines
Department of Finance
Press Release
21 February 2019

OSAKA - The Philippines has expressed its support for the nomination of United States’ Treasury Undersecretary David Malpass as the new president of the World Bank, citing his leadership as a good opportunity for the multilateral institution to work closely with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said with Malpass leading reforms from the World Bank, a close collaboration of the bank with ADB would be the best answer to respond to the global financial reform agenda in the Asia-Pacific region. This will also allow both institutions to build on each other's strengths.

In a phone conversation, Dominguez informed Malpass of his proposal to the ADB to “reinvent itself and to realign its programs to meet new realities,” which the Finance chief first broached when he was in Yokohama, Japan for the ADB’s 50th Annual meeting in 2017, and again when he was chairman of the Bank's Board of Governors for the 51st Annual meeting in Manila last year.

Dominguez said the center of gravity has now shifted decisively to Asia and its economies are now the principal engines of growth in the global economy.

He said a good opportunity exists for the World Bank and ADB to collaborate closely in the Asia-Pacific region given ADB's "operational efficiencies and strong balance sheet, its in-depth knowledge and understanding of the region and the culture of its people because of its proximity, its sensitivity to the unique development needs of the region, and as a trusted brand in infrastructure finance.”

“I want to congratulate you on your nomination and to let you know that we fully support your candidacy as president of the World Bank,” Dominguez told Malpass through a telephone call.

Malpass thanked Dominguez for his support and said he was looking forward to have further discussions with the Finance chief on the Philippines’ development agenda.

The Philippines’ expression of support for Malpass is among the first from a developing country. Dominguez currently serves as the governor for the Philippines in the Board of Governors of the World Bank Group.

Malpass, the US treasury undersecretary for international affairs, is American President Trump’s nominee as World Bank president, replacing Jim Yong Kim, who resigned last month.

During their brief phone conversation, Dominguez also pointed out to Malpass that in October last year, the G20 Eminent Persons Group (G20 EPG) “also noted that the multilateralism of the past is no longer fitted to the current and future challenges of the global financial system.”

Perhaps, this present system lacks coherence, joint capacity and effectiveness to support the most fundamental goals in global development and financial stability. It must be brought up to date to again align itself to the realities of the new era,” Dominguez told Malpass.

According to Dominguez, the G20 EPG report stressed that the central challenge is to create “a cooperative international order – one that is multipolar and decentralized in decision, yet more interconnected and with more challenges ahead that are much larger and more pressing than we have seen in decades.”

With these realities now facing the World Bank, Dominguez said Malpass’ nomination is fitting and appropriate.

“Frankly, I think, Mr. Malpass, your candidacy to lead the World Bank Group at this time is most appropriate and definitely we will be supporting your candidacy,” Dominguez said.

Malpass, in response, welcomed what he described as “good ideas” put forth by Dominguez, and said he was looking forward to working with the Finance chief on these concerns.

“I had the opportunity to talk to (ADB) President (Takehiko) Nakao and so we had quite a conversation on this and I look forward to working with you on these issues,” Malpass told Dominguez. END