24 February 2022, Stockholm – H.E. Ambassador Maria Lumen B. Isleta visited Linköping to meet with Mr. Carl Fredrik Graf, Governor of the County Administrative Board of Östergötland and to tour the Saab Aeronautics facility.
Östergötland is the second largest county of Sweden’s 21 counties or administrative regions. It markets itself as “East Sweden” and is a hi-tech industrial region with a variety of large and small companies in various industries. Saab, Siemens, Ericsson, Toyota, and Väderstad are some of the major companies located in the county.
Governor Graf hosted a dinner for Ambassador Isleta at the Linköping Castle, which also serves as the official residence of the Governor of Östergötland. The dinner was also attended by key members of the County Administrative Board and senior officials of Saab Aeronautics, one of the leading companies located in the county.
Ambassador Isleta and Governor Graf discussed potential areas for economic engagements, particularly in the areas of hi-tech innovation, engineering, and digitalization. Governor Graf extended an invitation for Ambassador Isleta to visit Linköping Science Park, a world class innovation and incubator hub, during the latter's next visit to the city.
Earlier that day, Ambassador Isleta was given a briefing by Saab’s officials together with other countries as well as its various units. Saab officials also provided a tour of its engineering and production facilities in the area.
Ambassador Isleta was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Gines Jaime Ricardo D. Gallaga. END.
16 February 2023, Stockholm – Philippine Ambassador Maria Lumen B. Isleta hosted officers and members of the International Women’s Club in Stockholm (IWC) for an afternoon “fika” in celebration of the history, culture, cuisine, and the natural beauty of the Philippines at the Embassy on 10 February 2023, entitled “Discover the Philippines”. IWC President Margareta Eidensten and Vice President Annalisa Spinelli led the IWC participation.
As part of the afternoon program, Filipino traditional textiles and materials in various treatments of the fabrics for both classic and contemporary Filipiniana wear. The audience were amazed that pineapple, banana, abaca and other fibers were utilized to make the very delicate textiles. Dainty embroideries featured in the fabrics were also a point of interest.
Meanwhile, Chef Elle Philipps, owner of catering company Elle’s Kusina, provided the savory dishes and desserts that showcased unique and delectable Philippine cuisine. Her brief introduction of the dishes from pulled pork asado sliders to scrumptious ube cassava cakes and maja blanca served as a satisfying sampling of Filipino food fare.
To complement the program, Philippine products were also featured in a mini bazaar held alongside the event.
Ambassador Isleta took the opportunity during the program to announce an upcoming Embassy project for a tour package to the Philippines for travelers from the Nordics, particularly Sweden. These immersive tours will allow travelers to experience Filipino culture and warm hospitality and be able to fully engage themselves in various tourist encounters around the Philippines. A video presentation on the Philippines as a tourism destination with special features on places such as Coron, Boracay, Vigan and others, was shown to pique the interest of the ladies. END
Philippine and Finnish Delegations pose for a photo during the Consultations. (DFA-OPCD Photo by Vanessa Ubac)
PASAY CITY 25 January 2023 – The Philippines and Finland successfully concluded their 7th Political Consultations at the Manila Diamond Hotel in Manila today. The Philippine delegation was headed by Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, while the State Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Johanna Sumuvuori led the Finnish delegation.
During the Consultations, the Philippines apprised Finland on political and economic developments in the country, in the ASEAN region, the West Philippine Sea, and on the outcome of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit held in Brussels the previous year. Finland, on the other hand, led the discussions on European security concerns including the situation in Ukraine and Finland’s NATO membership.
Both countries reaffirmed the strong friendship and partnership between them and their governments’ willingness to work together in seizing opportunities and managing challenges ahead.
The meeting also covered a wide range of issues affecting bilateral relations, including experiences and cooperation opportunities in the areas of trade; education; science and technology; Smart, Green and Digital technologies; green transition and clean energy; maritime; immigration and labor; and creative industries.
Noting that Finland is a reliable, responsive, and equal partner of the Philippines, Undersecretary Lazaro expressed her confidence in seeing Philippine-Finland bilateral relations advance and deepen further. END
