Stuttgart

On 19 October, Thursday, the newly installed Philippine Honorary Consul covering the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Dr. Axel Neumahr, lawyer, invited Filipino-German community leaders to the new Consulate office in Stuttgart.

In his remarks, Dr. Neumahr emphasized that he will continue to enhance Consulate services to the community, pursue the Triple Win Nurses Program in the State, as started by his predecessor and will push for higher representation in the State to enhance Phl-German business relations.

Ambassador Sta.Maria-Thomeczek noted the long years of Philippine representation in the State starting from the early 80s. She congratulated and introduced Dr. and Mrs. Neumahr and Consular Assistant Mrs. Rhoda Steegmaier to the community. She also acknowledged the Filcom leaders present – who later introduced themselves to the new Honorary Consul. A special guest for the evening was Mr. Torsten Klavs of Porsche. The car company has set up a training center in the PHL with Don Bosco to train auto mechanics for Porsche Service Centers all over the world, resulting in jobs for young Filipino mechanics.  Porsche is based in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

The Honorary Consulate has been opened to the public since July 2017. It was closed for the period January to June after Honorary Consul General Dr. Gerhard Zeidler retired end of December 2016.   About 3,500 Filipinos (still with PHL passports) are served in the State, along with Germans, for legal documentation and visa issuances.

The new Honorary Consulate in Baden Württemberg is located at Leitzstrasse 45, 70469 Stuttgart with telephone number +49 711 655 200 50.

Pullach/ Munich

On 06 July, the new Honorary Consulate for the State of Bavaria was formally inaugurated. Honorary Consul Dr. Stefan Detig had as special guest of honor DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez who was then visiting Bavaria on official business.

Guests included leaders of the Filipino community, officials from the Bavarian Ministry of Economics, German friends and the delegation of Secretary Lopez. Also present were his predecessor, Mr. Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach and former Honorary Vice-Consul Mrs. Jutta Hippelein who (retired) served in the Honorary Consulate for 46 years.

In his remarks, Honorary Consul Dr. Stefan Detig, lawyer and former Mayor of Pullach, gratefully acknowledged the presence of Secretary Lopez and his delegation. He expressed appreciation for   the support extended to him by the Philippine Embassy as the Consulate transitioned to a new Consul and new office address. He expressed the wish to continue the good representation of the Philippines in the State and to embark in economic as well as cultural diplomacy projects.

Ambassador Melita Sta.Maria-Thomeczek, in her remarks, recalled 56 years of Philippine representation in the State of Bavaria. The first Honorary Consul was Mr. Conrad Bittner, who served from 1961 to 1971. Mr. Werner Eckart followed in 1971. He also covered the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Mr. Fritz Haberl was Honorary Consul from 1989 until Mr. Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach took over in 2002 until 2017. About 4000 PHL passport holders were still present in the State.

She underscored that the Philippines was partner country in the July 2017 Asia-Pacific Conference of the powerful chambers of commerce of the State. This signified a milestone in business relations between the PHL and the State. She proudly announced that the Ayala Group of companies recently bought 2 companies in Bavaria : Misslbeck and Via Optica, both of which have been involved in auto technologies.

After the inauguration, Dr. Detig underwent hands-on training on consular matters at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin. After a transition period of 2 months as office records and operations were put in place, the Honorary Consulate was finally opened for services in September.

The new Honorary Consulate in Bavaria is located at Habenschadenstrasse 16 in 82049 Pullach/Munich with telephone number  +49 89 72444850-80.

Bad Nauheim , Frankfurt region.

Formal opening and inauguration of the Honorary Consulate for the State of Hessen was held on 29 June. The new Consulate is now located in Bad-Nauheim, a suburb of Frankfurt City.

Honorary Consul Torsten Griess-Nega , businessman, formally took his Oath after a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Ambassador Melita Sta.Maria-Thomeczek.

Guests included members of the consular corps of Hesse, business colleagues, Filipino community leaders, the Mayor of Bad-Nauheim, his predecessor, Professor Gerhard Zeidler, Tourism Attache Meggie Valdez and Assistant Belle Apostol.

Mr. Griess-Nega, in his remarks, said that he has been a Filipino in heart and mind. He has a Zahnfabrik or dental factory in the Philippines for years and has been very familiar with the country and people. He looked forward to economic projects for the Philippines as well as continuation of consular services to the Consulate’s publics.

The Ambassador noted that the State of Hessen had about 3000 Filipinos (excluding those who have become German citizens). There has been an Honorary Consulate since the early 80s. Notably, Mr. Peter Merck served as Honorary Consul from 1984 to 2003. Representation has thus been for 33 years more or less. She hoped that the strong representation of the PHL in the State will continue and congratulated Mr. Griess-Nega on his assumption to Office.

The Honorary Consulate was formally opened to the public on 01 July 2017. The new Honorary Consulate is located at Frankfurter Straße 70, D-61231 Bad Nauheim with telephone number : +49 6032 96 61 250 . (END)