DFA TRANSPORT SERVICE
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Invitation to Apply for Eligibility and to Bid
The Department of Foreign Affairs - Bids and Awards Committee (DFA-BAC) is inviting interested bidders to
apply for eligibility and to bid for the: DFA TRANSPORT Service… Click here
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Media Registration for the 14th Asean Summit
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12 February 2009 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand invites members of the Thai
and foreign media who wish to cover the 14th ASEAN Summit in Cha Am and Hua Hin from 26 February to 01
March 2009 to register online at http://www.14thASEANSummit.org. The online media registration is open
from 25 January to 15 February 2009. The procedure is as follows:
1. A media member submits a duly completed online media registration form with the following attachments
(in jpeg, tiff, gif or bmp format and no larger than 1MB).
Color passport-sized photograph at 300 dpi resolution; Valid affiliation ID card / Press Card issued by the
Thai Government Public Relations Department; Letter of Assignment signed by the editor or authorized
representative of the news agency. After submission, the member will automatically receive an
Acknowledgment Letter through the email address indicated in the registration form.
Media members who already have 14th ASEAN Summit accounts also need to reconfirm their assignment
online by attaching a scanned letter of assignment signed by the news agency’s editor or authorized
representative. Reconfirmation to reactivate accreditation is open from 25 January to 15 February 2009.
2. Once the form is processed and approved (within approximately 10 working days), the 14th ASEAN
Summit Media Secretariat will send an Accreditation Letter to the same e-mail address.
3. The media members presents the Accreditation Letter with valid photo ID to collect a Media Pass and
Media Kit at the 14th ASEAN Summit Media Center located at Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa on 25-26
February 20099 between 08h00 and 22h00.
The Thai Foreign Ministry wishes to note the following:
* Visiting media members must ensure that their passports remain valid for no less than 6 months upon
entry into Thailand.
* Visiting media members who need a visa for travel to Thailand must present the Accreditation Letter to any
Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General in their respective country for issuance of type M-visa (Single Entry)
in addition to the documents normally required for visa issuance
* The 14th ASEAN Summit media will NOT accept any online registration or postal registration beyond 15
February 2009.
* The 14th ASEAN Summit Media Secretariat does NOT recommend onsite registration at the Media Centre,
only available during 25-26 February 2009, because document verification requires at least 6 hours before
accreditation can be granted. Additionally, since only a limited number of Media Kits will be available, priority
will be given to those media representatives who have registered online. END
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DFA-OAVS, MIAA and COMELEC sign Memorandum of Agreement
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PH-022-09, 12 February 2009—Foreign Affairs Undersecretary and Chairman of the Overseas Absentee
Voting Secretariat (OAVS) Rafael E. Seguis, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager
Alfonso G. Cusi, and Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commisioner Nicodemo T. Ferrer, sign the
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
The MOA pertains to the agreement of the said parties to establish a registration center at the OFW Lounge to
register OFWs as Overseas Absentee Voters. (photo by Benjamin E. Remo, DFA-PISU)
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Ambassador Asuque calls on Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora; discusses
prospects for Trade, Investment, Labor and Cultural Agreements
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PH-021-09, Gilberto G.B. Asuque makes the traditional courtesy call by newly accredited envoys on H.E.
Fouad Siniora, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, at the PM office in Grand Serail in Beirut. Amb.
Asuque conveys the best wishes of the government and people of the Philippines and the hope for the
continued peace, political stability and economic progress now seen in Lebanon. The Ambassador also
discussed ways to further expand bilateral ties. PM Siniora said Lebanon is ready to discuss bilateral
agreements on trade, investments, double taxation, labor cooperation and cultural exchange. The Prime
Minister also welcomed visits to Lebanon of Philippine officials and trade delegations as steps toward the
enhancement of bilateral ties. (Embassy photo).END
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Ambassador Asuque presents credentials to H.E. President Sleiman of Lebanon
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PR-047-09, 12 February 2009 - H.E. Gilberto G.B. Asuque, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Republic of the Philippines to the Republic of Lebanon, presents the Letter of Recall of his predecessor
and his Credentials to H.E. President Michel Sleiman during ceremonies on 03 January 2009 at the
Ambassadors’ Hall, Baabda Presidential Palace in Beirut, Lebanon.Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, 2nd
from left, joins President Sleiman during the ceremony. The event was witnessed by palace officials and
aides. Ambassador Asuque is the fourth ambassador of the Philippines to Lebanon, with residence in Beirut,
since the opening of the embassy in 1996.
Ambassador Asuque discussed Philippine-Lebanon relations with President Sleiman following the
presentation of his credentials. Ambassador Asuque conveyed the best wishes and New Years greetings of
H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to President Sleiman. Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh and palace
officers and aides joined President Sleiman during the presentation ceremony. Ambassador Asuque
assured President Sleiman of further efforts to expand bilateral relations especially in the fields of trade and
cultural exchanges while continuing to improve the working conditions and promote the welfare of the
estimated 30,000 Filipino expatriate workers in Lebanon. President Sleiman assured Ambassador Asuque of
the support and assistance of the Government of Lebanon in the pursuit of the Ambassador’s mission.
Joining Ambassador Asuque at the presentation ceremony are (lower photo, L-R) the Embassy staff Mrs.
Leonila Robillos, OIC-POLO; Mrs. Racma Balt, Attaché; and Mr. Norberto dela Rea, Attaché. END
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Statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Suzette Nicolas Y Sombilon vs.
Alberto Romulo, et al. / Jovito R. Salonga, et al. vs. Daniel Smith, et al. / Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan, et al. vs. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, et al. 11
February 2009
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The Supreme Court has promulgated its third and latest decision affirming the constitutionality of the RP-US
Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
In its earlier decisions on Bayan v. Zamora in 2000 and Lim v. Executive Secretary in 2002, the Supreme
Court had upheld the VFA’s validity.
In particular, the Department welcomes the following statements in the Court’s latest ruling in Nicolas,
Salonga et aI:
The validation by the Court that the VFA is “a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and recognized as a treaty”
by the US side;
That the VFA is a “self-executing agreement,” and that “the VFA has been implemented and executed, with the
US faithfully complying with its obligations to produce L/Cpl Smith before the court during the trial”;
That the VFA provisions on criminal jurisdiction do not infringe upon the power of the Supreme Court to adopt
rules of procedures for the courts.
On the matter of appropriate custody or detention arrangements, the Supreme Court cited Section 10, Article V
of the VFA which states “The confinement or detention by Philippine authorities of United States personnel
shall be carried out in facilities agreed on by appropriate Philippines and United States authorities. United
States personnel serving sentences in the Philippines shall have the right to visits and material assistance.”
The Office of the Solicitor General, the Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local
Government will be consulted on the further steps to take.
In the meantime, pursuant to the orders of the Supreme Court, the status quo will be maintained. END PR-
046-09
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Pulongbayan on OAV Registration
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PR-045-09, 11 February 2009 – Dr. MacArthur F. Corsino presented his credentials as non-resident
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP) to Jamaica, to the Most Honorable Sir Kenneth Hall, the
Governor General and representative of HM Queen Elizabeth II of the UK, at the King’s House in Kingston on
27 January 2009. With him at the rites were Mrs. Bernadette C. Corsino and Philippine Honorary Consul
Everoy Chin. Aside from his conversations with Prof. Hall, he also met separately with Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister Dr. Kenneth Baugh, Labor Minister Pearnel Charles, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
Vilma McNish. His presentation coincided with Jamaica’s annual Diplomatic Week, from 25 January to 01
February 2009, at which 13 non-resident AEPs presented credentials including co-ASEAN AEPs Banua Radja
Manik of Indonesia and Yean Yoke Heng of Malaysia who, like Ambassador Corsino, are resident AEPs in
Havana, Cuba. The ASEAN AEPs held a joint reception for the Diplomatic Corps at the Jamaica Hilton during
which Dr. Corsino gave the message on behalf of his colleagues. Also on stage were Mrs. Monry Manik and
Mrs. Corsino, and Ambassador Snanchart Devahastin and Mrs. Patama Devhastin of Thailand who came
over from Toronto.
Among those who gave “Diplomatic Week” briefings to the diplomats assigned to Jamaica was Finance
Minister Audley Fitz-Albert Shaw who, it turned out, was Dr. Corsino’s fellow alumnus from Northern Illinois
University. Dr. Corsino was pleasantly surprised when Minister Shaw asked him to stand and be recognized
as his co-alumnus before he made his presentation. Other officials who briefed the diplomats were Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Baugh, Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda, National
Security Minister Col. Trevor MacMillan, and Undersecretary Vilma McNish.
A black tie dinner hosted by Governor General and Lady Hall of AEPs and spouses capped the week’s
festivities. Ambassador and Mrs. Corsino also met with members of the Filipino community in Jamaica
including President Flora Martin, Engineer Romeo Advincula, Mrs. Rose Wehri (wife of the US Consul
General), and Mrs. Marlene del Rosario. Dr. and Mrs. Corsino also met at length with Philippine Honorary
Consul China and his assistant Belen del Rosario. END
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Mobile Registration on first day of OAV campaign held at Consular Outreach in
Jersey City, NJ
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PR-044-09, 11 February 2009 - About 200 members of the Filipino and Filipino-American community in
Jersey City attended the consular outreach and mobile registration of the Philippine Consulate General in
New York on 01 February 2009.The event was held to coincide with the first day of the resumption of the
continuous registration/certification of qualified Overseas Absentee Voters in cooperation with the Catholic
Action of Mary (CAM) and the Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL) of New Jersey.
Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong was presented at the start of the Consular outreach, whose team was led
by Consul Leandro B. Lachica. Applications for passports, civil registration, document legalization, dual
citizenship as well as registered overseas absentee voters was held from 10am to 3pm at the St. Mary’s
Church at Eerie and 2nd Street, Jersey City, New Jersey.
The Consulate highlighted to the community the start of the Overseas Absentee Voters Registration /
Certification (OAV) campaign. It strongly invited everyone who was qualified to register and exercise their right
to vote in the 2010 National Elections. The continuing registration/certification of overseas absentee voters
shall be from 01 February to 31 August 2009. The election period for overseas absentee voters shall be from
10 April 2010 to 10 May 2010.
“Holding our first Consular Outreach in 2009 along with the OAV registration on the mandated first day of the
OAV implementation shows the strong commitment of our Consulate to achieve the desire of our Government
to ensure that the voice of our fellow Filipinos in this part of the world will be heard,” emphasized Consul
General Rebong.
Expressing their organization’s support and appreciation to the Consulate, Ms. Ledy Almadin stated, “On
behalf of CAM officers and members, we thank God for what we think is a successful event. We want to thank
you as well for giving us the opportunity to work with you.”
“On behalf of PACCAL, we would like to thank the Philippine Consulate General for the invaluable service to
the Filipino community of Jersey City. The success of yesterday’s outreach proves that partnership works for
the good of the community. The response of the community to the Consular services was very positive” said
Ms. Linda Mayo of PACCAL.
The Consular Outreach has been an annual program of the Philippine Consulate in New York to bring closer
to the Filipinos abroad the services and assistance of the Philippine Government. END
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Ambassador Corsino presents credentials during the Diplomatic Week in Jamaica
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PR-043-09, 11 February 2009 – Dr. MacArthur F. Corsino presented his credentials as non-resident
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP) to Jamaica, to the Most Honorable Sir Kenneth Hall, the
Governor General and representative of HM Queen Elizabeth II of the UK, at the King’s House in Kingston on
27 January 2009. With him at the rites were Mrs. Bernadette C. Corsino and Philippine Honorary Consul
Everoy Chin. Aside from his conversations with Prof. Hall, he also met separately with Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister Dr. Kenneth Baugh, Labor Minister Pearnel Charles, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
Vilma McNish. His presentation coincided with Jamaica’s annual Diplomatic Week, from 25 January to 01
February 2009, at which 13 non-resident AEPs presented credentials including co-ASEAN AEPs Banua Radja
Manik of Indonesia and Yean Yoke Heng of Malaysia who, like Ambassador Corsino, are resident AEPs in
Havana, Cuba. The ASEAN AEPs held a joint reception for the Diplomatic Corps at the Jamaica Hilton during
which Dr. Corsino gave the message on behalf of his colleagues. Also on stage were Mrs. Monry Manik and
Mrs. Corsino, and Ambassador Snanchart Devahastin and Mrs. Patama Devhastin of Thailand who came
over from Toronto.
Among those who gave “Diplomatic Week” briefings to the diplomats assigned to Jamaica was Finance
Minister Audley Fitz-Albert Shaw who, it turned out, was Dr. Corsino’s fellow alumnus from Northern Illinois
University. Dr. Corsino was pleasantly surprised when Minister Shaw asked him to stand and be recognized
as his co-alumnus before he made his presentation. Other officials who briefed the diplomats were Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Baugh, Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda, National
Security Minister Col. Trevor MacMillan, and Undersecretary Vilma McNish.
A black tie dinner hosted by Governor General and Lady Hall of AEPs and spouses capped the week’s
festivities. Ambassador and Mrs. Corsino also met with members of the Filipino community in Jamaica
including President Flora Martin, Engineer Romeo Advincula, Mrs. Rose Wehri (wife of the US Consul
General), and Mrs. Marlene del Rosario. Dr. and Mrs. Corsino also met at length with Philippine Honorary
Consul China and his assistant Belen del Rosario. END
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Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen & Filipino Community celebrate Chinese New
Year
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PR-042-09, 11 February 2009 - Consul General Raul S. Hernandez hosted a dinner at his official residence to
celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival with the officers of the Filipino Association in Xiamen (FAX) and other
Filipino Community (FilCom) leaders. Officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General were also
present during the gathering.
Over dinner, Consul General Hernandez expressed his appreciation to FAX officers for their support to the
Consulate General’s various projects, one of which is the information campaign to warn Filipinos against
drug smuggling, as well as assistance during visits in Xiamen by Philippine officials.
The Consul General briefed FilCom leaders on measures being done by the Consulate General to assist
OFWs in Xiamen who were adversely affected by the global financial crisis. This includes facilitation of the
issuance of notarial documents, as well as providing information on how to avail of loan projects from the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
The dinner also became a venue for FilCom leaders to showcase their talents in singing and dancing, to the
delight of all present. Everyone agreed that the spirit of the Chinese Spring Festival,more popularly known in
the Philippines as the Chinese Lunar New Year, was felt during the gathering, which served as a good
opportunity for the Consulate General to reaffirm to the FilCom in Xiamen its continued support, concern and
solidarity with them. END.
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