The Human Resources (HR) Management of AIDA Cruises agreed to have the Philippine Embassy set up mobile voter registration centers on board four of their cruise ships as they disembark on pre-identified German ports.

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta-Maria Thomeczek led a Philippine Embassy Team in holding a mobile voter registration area onboard the AIDA Mar as it docked at the Port of Rostock on September 5, 2015. Fifty-two Filipino seafarers successfully registered for the overseas voting, as the Embassy learned that many of the Filipino crew have already registered when their ship docked in Lisbon, Portugal.

Previously, the Philippine Embassy sent out two teams to register Filipino seafarers at the Ports of Kiel and Rostock.

 

The first team, led by Consul Adrian Cruz, were able to set up two mobile registration centers while the ships AIDA Luna and Mein Schiff 4 were docked at the Port of Kiel on August 22, 2015. A total of 103 Filipino seafarers registered. In this campaign the Embassy team also partnered with the non-profit organization Seafarer’s Lounge Kiel.

The second team was led by Consul Rona Goce and they were able to register 67 Filipino seafarers on board AIDA Diva at the Port of Rostock on August 26, 2015.

The final “Akyat-Barko” activity is set to take place on September 19, 2015 with Consul General Donna Rodriguez leading an Embassy team in registering Filipino seafarers on board AIDA Kira.

On 12 September, Embassy officials visited cities and towns in the States of Rhineland Palatinate and Lower Saxony upon the invitation of Filipino-German community groups. They conveyed the country’s appreciation of the significant humanitarian help to the Philippines by Fil-Gers and extended an invitation for them to visit the Philippines.

Ambassador Melita Sta.Maria-Thomeczek was the honored guest of the City of Cloppenburg in Lower Saxony as it opened its annual Market Festival, The festival is 350 years old. The Ambassador was given the privilege of being the first diplomat and the first Filipino official to sign the city’s “Golden Book.”

In her speech before city officials and prominent citizens, she expressed the country’s gratitude for the city’s support to Reunion e.V. The Ambassador acknowledged the work of the organization, an incorporated association of Cloppenburg citizens which has extended humanitarian assistance to the Philippines for 21 years now. The group is under the leadership of Filipina Gloria Bachoco, a nurse by profession.

The Ambassador also introduced the Philippines to the audience, and informed them of existing projects with Germany. These included the Triple Win Nurse-Exchange Program. She invited them to visit the country, whether it be to accompany Reunion e.V. to its yearly humanitarian trip to the Philippines, or to travel as tourists, volunteers, or as business people interested in the country’s economic growth.

Meanwhile, Consul General Donna Rodriguez visited the picturesque municipality of Linz am Rhein to attend a charity event hosted by the Purple Hearts Society Mercy Foundation e.v., headed by Mrs. Merceditas Simon. The charity event was attended by more than one hundred Filipinos, along with their German spouses, families and friends, from all over Germany.

Enjoying good food and company, the guests were entertained by the Philippine folk dancing competition and musical performances by some of their fellow guests. They also witnessed the crowning of the Ms. Purple Hearts Society Beauty Queen and the Ms. Purple Hearts Society Charity Queen. The evening was rounded off by a raffle draw for several prizes.

Proceeds from the charity event will support the work of the Purple Hearts Society in partnership with a foundation from the Philippines focused on helping poor Filipino children finish their education.

On the same day, Consul Rona Beth Goce joined the Philippine Cultural Association Braunschweig in celebrating their annual summer festival in Schöppenstedt. The association has 88 members from the Braunschweig and surrounding areas. More than 200 Filipino and German guests packed the Eulenspiegel-Halle in an event that showcased Filipino food, dances and songs. The association also held a raffle to raise funds for a charity that supports the street children of Cebu, Philippines.

 

 

 

An Embassy team led by Consul Adrian Cruz, Mr. Jovencio Catbagan, Ms Amor Del Mundo, Ms. Nelma Casas, Ms. Mylah Rubio and Mr. Melchor Francisco was in Bonn on September 5, 2015 to provide consular outreach services to the Filipino Community in West Germany. The one-day outreach was co-sponsored by the Filipino Community in the archdiocese of Cologne and was held at St. Winfried Church, Sträßchenweg 3, 53113 Bonn.

The team processed 127 passport applications, 16 civil registry reports, 67 overseas voter registrants, and 60 other consular related services.

The Philippine Embassy in Berlin has been receiving positive feedback on its decision to send consular outreach missions to different parts of Germany. Consul General Donna Rodriguez expressed her thanks to the German-Filipino Community for their continued cooperation in the outreaches that have taken place in Cologne, Schifferstadt, Schweinfurt, Bochum, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

“We are very pleased with the huge turnout of applicants and we admire the dedication of the members of the German-Filipino community organizations who volunteer their time and effort to ensure the success of our outreach missions,” she stated.

The last remaining consular outreaches for the year will take place in Munich on September 19, 2015 and in Essen on November 14, 2015. (end)