The Philippine Embassy in Berlin

Another Batch of Filipino Crew of AIDA Cruises Return to the Philippines

Another batch of 214 Filipino crewmembers of AIDA Cruises departed for the Philippines from Hamburg, Germany on 14 June 2020 via a chartered TUI Netherlands flight. They are expected to arrive in the Philippines on 15 June 2020.

The seafarers had been awaiting repatriation after cruise trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March.

The Filipino crew, part of several thousand AIDA Cruises employees of different nationalities, were assisted at the send-off by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel, and Philippine Embassy staff members Renante Estrella and Vieto Pilapil.

The crew members expressed their hope that cruise operations would gradually be resumed by German maritime companies. To date over 2,500 Filipino crewmembers have been repatriated from Germany.

Before boarding, The Filipino crew were provided with information on how to avail of the AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of OWWA.  END

Filipino crewmembers prepare to depart via chartered flight at Hamburg International airport (all photos by Berlin PE)

Top : Ambassador Dizon-De Vega provides reminders to a group of seafarers; Bottom left: Amb. Dizon-De Vega, Welfare Officer and Ms. Florence Guieb, Security Officer of AIDA Cruises confer on arrangements; Bottom right: Filipino crew checking in at Hamburg International Airport

 

Amb. Dizon-De Vega, Welfare Officer Gabriel with Filipino crewmembers eager to return to the Philippines

 

Another Repatriation Flight from Hamburg Arrives in the Philippines

232 Filipino crewmembers from various maritime and manning companies as well as some other Filipino nationals departed for the Philippines from Hamburg, Germany on 11 June 2020 via a chartered Condor Airlines flight. The flight arrived in the Philippines on 12 June 2020.

The seafarers had been awaiting repatriation after cruise trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March. Other Filipino nationals in Germany likewise availed of the flight to return to the Philippines.

The flight was coordinated by Business Travel Hamburg in coordination with Doehle Seafront on behalf of several companies.

The passengers were assisted at the send-off by Philippine Embassy in Germany Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Lilibeth Pono, Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel, and Embassy staff members Renante Estrella, and Elvin Jay Alejandro.

The crew members expressed their hope that cruise operations would gradually be resumed by German maritime companies.

Before boarding, the passengers were provided with information on how to avail of the AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of OWWA. END

Filipino crewmembers and passengers check-in for the chartered flight (all photos by Berlin PE)

 

L-R DCM Pono, Welfare Officer Gabriel, Mr. Alejandro with representative of manning companies; Filipino passengers arrive at Hamburg International Airport

New Batch of Filipino Crew of AIDA Cruises Return to the Philippines

10 June 2020, Berlin – 303 Filipino crewmembers of AIDA Cruises departed for the Philippines from Hamburg, Germany on 10 June 2020 via a chartered TUI Netherlands flight. They are expected to arrive in the Philippines on 11 June 2020.

The seafarers had been awaiting repatriation after cruise trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March.

The Filipino crew, part of several thousand AIDA Cruises employees of different nationalities, were assisted at the send-off by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz, and Philippine Embassy staff members Arneil Sergio and Vieto Pilapil.

The crew members expressed their hope that cruise operations would gradually be resumed by German maritime companies.

Before boarding, The Filipino crew were provided with information on how to avail of the AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of OWWA. END

Filipino crewmembers check-in for the chartered flight (all photos by Berlin PE)

 

Top left and right Amb. Dizon-De Vega confers with AIDA Cruises Head of Operations Control Marco Merius on the repatriation procedures; Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz provides information on the AKAP and Livelihood Programs; Bottom: Crew members arrive at Hamburg International Airport from the Hamburg Port Cruise Center

BAYBAYIN LEARNING PARTY MARKS CULMINATION OF NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION IN BERLIN

Baybayin Class Lakbay photo courtesy of Tofu Creatives.

A virtual Baybayin Learning Party, held last May 30, marked the culmination of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin’s celebration of National Heritage Month this year.

Baybayin was one of the indigenous scripts used in the Philippines prior to the introduction of the Latin alphabet during the Spanish colonial era.

The class included lessons on the history of Baybayin and on reading and writing the script’s 17 characters. Forty-six participants from Germany, other European countries, and the United States (US) were able to write a two-sentence paragraph at the end of the 90-minute class. Lucky participants also won a Baybayin name art courtesy of Tofu Creatives.

In her remarks before the class, Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega expressed appreciation for the organizers’ passion in preserving such an important element of our culture.

US-based artist/singer-song writer Nityalila Saulo and Illustrator Desiree Llanos Dee of Tofu Creatives (www.tofucreatives.com) served as class facilitators.

The class was organized by Tofu Creatives, in collaboration with the Embassy and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association Germany e.V., headed by Ms. Jennifer Lynne Fadrigo-Hankammer.

Month-long celebrationLuisenstrasse 16, 10117 Mitte, Berlin, Germany TL. +49 (0) 30 864 950 5010 http://philippine-embassy.de/Top photo: Participants show words in Baybayin characters that they wrote. Bottom left photo: Participants learn how to write in Baybayin. Bottom right photo: Samples of Tofu Creatives’ Baybayin Name Art. (images courtesy of Tofu Creatives)

 

Despite restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Embassy was able to mount a special celebration of Filipino culture and heritage.

Aside from the Baybayin Learning Party, full-length film, “I’m Drunk, I Love You” (courtesy of TBA Studios); a documentary on Baybayin; a news segment on the Filipino people’s Austronesian heritage; and Carlo Vergara’s musical, “Kung Paano ako naging Leading Lady” (courtesy of the Cultural Center of the Philippines) were featured on the Embassy Facebook page (@PHinGermany) as part of the month-long celebration. END

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CONTACT US

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Philippine Migrant Workers Office (MWO)

For OEC and Verification of Employment Contracts of Balik-Manggagawa in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and Russia:

Mobile: +49 17681317465 (WhatsApp);
email: mwo.germanyoec@gmail.com

For accreditation of Agency and Direct Hires in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and Russia:

Mobile: +49 15229021623 (WhatsApp/Viber)
email: germany@mwoberlin.com

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email: owwamemb@gmail.com; mwo_berlin@dmw.gov.ph

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