The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, India

AMBASSADOR ACCENTUATES RAMPED-UP PHILIPPINES-INDIA ENGAGEMENT IN INTERVIEW WITH WION

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NEW DELHI, 08 May— Rapidly intensifying engagement between the Philippines and India across the board was front and center at the Philippine Ambassador’s interview with Indian news channel WION on 08 May.

Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio sat down with WION’s veteran Principal Diplomatic and Defense Correspondent Mr. Sidhant Sibal at the Embassy Chancery in Chanakyapuri, engaging in a lively exchange that trained the spotlight on the significant ramping up of Philippines-India ties.

“It is a relationship that is on turbo”, proudly declared the Ambassador, as he enumerated key milestones in the burgeoning relationship. He outlined progress across multiple fronts spanning high-level political dialogues and visits, trade, and more recently, defense and security.

Ambassador Ignacio was keen to highlight the robust underpinnings of this newfound vigor – centuries-old connections, a common quest for independence, shared democratic and free market values and, over the past decade, a vocal advocacy for a rules-based order for the globe and Indo-Pacific neighborhood.

Established in 1949, the countries are marking this year the platinum jubilee of relations and are embarking on a quest to parlay the current momentum into gains in tourism, direct air connectivity, infrastructure and development cooperation, and even space cooperation.

With Indians now among the top outbound tourist groups globally, Ambassador Ignacio drummed up interest in the Philippines’ potential as preferred destination for Indian travelers whether for tourism, business, MICE, health and medicine, and even for Bollywood film location shoots and Indian weddings.

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Asked about rising defense and security, the Ambassador underscored the common ground existing in the two countries’ espousal of rule of law, security, stability and prosperity for the Indo-Pacific and freedom of navigation in the maritime commons. In reply to the Philippines’ acquisition of the BrahMos missiles from India, the Ambassador recognized the project as a milestone in defense ties, citing a synergy between the Philippines’ drive to enhance defense posture and deterrence and the Indian defense industry’s rising capabilities.

Indicating high interest in Philippine-Indian cooperation, the impactful interview quickly racked up views and heavy engagement on WION’s virtual platforms.

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The assessment is shared by the Indian side. Speaking to the press in late March during his Manila visit, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar affirmed that “India’s ties with the Philippines has seen very perceptible growth in recent times”. END

New Delhi Filipinos Finetune Philippine Folk Dance Skills under Masterful Tutelage of Bayanihan Dance Company

Filipinos in India participated enthusiastically in the Sentro Rizal Virtual Masterclass on PH Folk Dance

NEW DELHI, 03 May 2024 – Filipinos in New Delhi honed their Philippine Folk Dance skills as they concluded a successful and productive participation in a virtual “Masterclass” conducted by the best in the field, the Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company.

Virtual classes held from 16 to 30 April sharpened the participants knowledge and appreciation of Filipino folk dance techniques and the cultural and historical underpinnings of its intricate movements and symbolism.

AJFI Keynote Ambassador to India Josel F. Ignacio was among the online keynote speakers at the opening. The virtually lessons were conducted simultaneously by the Bayanihan for Filipinos in India, Oman, Brunei, and Qatar, under the sponsorship of Sentro Rizal and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The participants from New Delhi included members of the umbrella organization Filipinos in aIndia Community (FIC) and the Kapisanan ng Mga Pilipino na May Asawang Indiano sa Hindustan (KAPIHAN). Philippine Embassy personnel also joined.

The New Delhi group wrapped up their participation with a performance of the Kini-Kini to the satisfaction of their Bayanihan mentors.

“True to the Bayanihan spirit, the Masterclass’ New Delhi-based Filipino alumnae will pay their learnings forward and share their learnings with other aspiring students of Filipino folk dance”, said Ambassador Ignacio. END

Filipinos in India join kababayans from Brunei, Oman and Qatar in the Virtual Masterclass on Folk Dance

PH, MONGOLIA HEADS OF MISSION SURVEY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCED BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL COOPERATION

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Amb. Ignacio, assisted by Third Secretary (Political) Mark Anthony P. Dizon, in discussions with Amb. Dambajav on PH-Mongolia cooperation.

NEW DELHI, 29 April – Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio warmly welcomed H.E. Ganbold Dambajav, Ambassador of Mongolia, at the latter’s call on 29 April.

The Heads of Mission welcomed the uptick in bilateral engagement between the Philippines and Mongolia over the last few years, as manifested by high-level meetings and technical cooperation and training initiatives. The two countries celebrated a half-century of diplomatic ties in October 2023.

Ambassador Dambajav’s call was also occasioned by Mongolia’s hosting of the 48^th Consultative Committee Meeting (CCM) of the Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific, taking place on 30-31 May 2024 in Ulaanbaatar. Both sides acknowledged the abiding relevance of the Colombo Plan as a platform for collaboration among member countries for economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, particularly in areas such as human resources development, technical cooperation, and other exchanges that advance South-South Cooperation.

The Colombo Plan was established on 1 July 1951 by Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom. It has since expanded to 27 member countries, including non-Commonwealth countries and countries belonging to regional groupings such as ASEAN and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

The Philippines became a member in 1954 and, since then, has participated in various high-level meetings and programs of the grouping. The Philippines hosted the 21^st and 37^th Consultative Committee Meetings in 1971 and 1998, respectively. END

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY FILM SERIES SCORES ANEW WITH LOCAL AUDIENCE WITH “MA’ ROSA” SCREENING

The Embassy’s outdoor screening of Ma’ Rosa (2016) on 26 April. (Inset) Amb. Ignacio introduces the film and welcomes guests.

NEW DELHI, 26 April 2024 – The Philippine Embassy’s Sine Embahada series went from strength to strength with the outdoor screening of Ma’ Rosa, the second film of the initiative, at the Embassy grounds on 26 April.

The screening of Director Brillante Mendoza’s gritty, critically acclaimed 2016 opus was organized with the valuable support of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

The tale of a mother negotiating her way out of a police drug bust, Ma’ Rosa debuted at the 69^th Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or. Protagonist Ms. Jaclyn Jose – whose passing last month was a big loss to Philippine film -- played the eponymous Rosa Reyes, for which she copped the Best Actress award at the festival.

The Sine Embahada series seeks to gain exposure for notable Philippine films across various genres, styles and traditions in India, a country with an even more vibrant film industry.

Ma Rosa was featured as an example of Filipino social realist filmmaking, coming on the heels of the Embassy’s screening in March of a Filipino exemplar of the “third cinema” movement and magical realism, National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik’s Perfumed Nightmare.

Trooping to the screening was a diverse audience of diplomats, New Delhi-based Filipinos, local film enthusiasts and other Embassy partners.

“Film artistry and cinephilia are further common ground for Filipinos and Indians upon which bilateral relations can thrive”, said Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio. “The Embassy invites the public to watch out for future screenings of the finest of Filipino cinema and our wealth of filmmaking and thespian talents”. END

(Clockwise from top) Ma’ Rosa holds audience in rapt attention; FDCP and Embassy promotional post; Filipino and expat audience members in fellowship before the screening; Amb. Ignacio welcomes Seychellois High Commissioner Harisoa Lalatiana Accouche.