“East Meets West” Training Camp Brings Modern Arnis Grandmasters to Germany

October 11, 2016

Clockwise from top: (1) Consul Rona Beth Goce (2nd from left) with Arnis Grandmasters (L-R) Dieter Knüttel, Rodel Dagooc and Samuel Dulay (2) Arnis instructors came from the United States, the Philippines and Germany in the “East Meets West” Camp organized by the German Arnis Association as shown by the flags and logos at the event (3) Nearly 200 participants came from all over Germany to improve their skills in Filipino Martial Arts

Dortmund. In this year’s biggest gathering of Arnis practitioners in Europe, almost 200 students of Modern Arnis trained in Dortmund from 23 – 25 September under Modern Arnis Grandmasters from the Philippines, Germany and the United States. The aptly named “East Meets West” Modern Arnis Training Camp was organized by the German Arnis Association (Deutscher Arnis Verband). The DAV is the largest Arnis association in Germany with a 2,500-strong membership.

From L-R: (1) Modern Arnis Grandmasters Tim Hartman (USA), Rodel Dagooc (Philippines), Dieter Knüttel (Germany), Samuel Dulay (Philippines) and Brian Zawilinski (USA). (2) Grandmaster Dagooc with Consul Goce during the Blackbelt Presentation Ceremony.

Consul Rona Beth Goce of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin was at hand during the black belt presentation ceremony on 24 September. The highest black belt (10^th Degree) was awarded to German Arnis Grandmaster Dieter Knüttel reflecting 30 years of dedication to mastering Modern Arnis. The DAV thanked Consul Goce for taking part in the ceremony, presenting the black belts and showing the Embassy’s support for Modern Arnis in Germany.

Arnis practitioners from Germany, Denmark, France, Israel and other countries practicing Arnis self-defense techniques. In one session, they could be heard counting “isa, dalawa, tatlo…” as they deftly wield their rattan sticks under the guidance of Arnis grandmasters.

Modern Arnis is a martial arts and self-defense system founded by Remy Presas. His stated goal was to “create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems.”

Arnis, the National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines, incorporates empty-handed fighting techniques , short sticks, as well as knives. Arnis skills can be used with many other tactical weapons and everyday objects.

There are currently only six Grandmasters who have the 10th Degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis, five of them are from the Philippines, the sixth is DAV Chief Instructor Dieter Knüttel. Three out the six Grandmasters were in Germany for the training camp. END

Philippines adds fun at the Museum Embankment Festival 2016, Frankfurt

October 5, 2016

Fun, hip, and modern—that was the image of the Philippines which visitors to the Museum Embankment Festival (Museumsuferfest) 2016, in Frankfurt am Main from 25-27 August 2016, took home with them.

The More Fun in the Philippines logo and vibrant numbers by Filipino performers
brighten up the banks of the Main River for three days.

The annual festival turns the banks of the Main River, with its impressive row of museums, into a giant stage and backdrop for varied cultural performances, including music, theater, and dance. This year, it drew an estimated two million visitors eager to enjoy the sunshine as temperatures soared.

The Department of Tourism’s Frankfurt Office, led by Tourism Attaché Margarita Valdes, partnered with Frankfurter Musikbühne, which organized a stage at the Museumsuferfest, to present Filipino talents. These included Fil-Austrian teen heartthrob Lukas Janisch, who won The Voice Kids Germany, and the UP Street Dance Club. Breaking away from the usual traditional numbers, their performances got the audience jiving to a more modern and trendy beat.

DOT-Frankfurt further brightened the festival by distributing 1,000 luminous LED balloons emblazoned with the More Fun in the Philippines logo. There was a booth where people could have their photos taken against popular tourist destinations in the country, and a counter serving Philippine-inspired cocktail drinks to help people cool down from the heat.

“Through our participation in the Museumsuferfest, we were able to showcase an intriguing and versatile travel destination for the people of the Rhine-Main region,” said Ms. Valdes. “We wanted to convey how much fun and joy could be found in the Philippines’ 7,107 islands, with its diverse offerings for different target groups.”

Ambassador Thomeczek and Ms. Valdes pose with Fil-Austrian Voice Kids Germany
winner Lukas Janisch (standing, 5th from right) and the UP Street Dance Club.

Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek was interviewed during the festival by Mr. Matthias Gürtler of Touristik Aktuell, a weekly tourism magazine, who asked her why the Philippines is now trending as a travel destination among Germans. “First and foremost, we have a very good product, and we are proud of it,” the Ambassador replied. “The Philippines has so much to offer and that is why we have embarked on great campaigns to tell the world about it.”

Aside from the festival participation, Philippine tourism also received extensive exposure in various Frankfurt publications throughout the month of August, including features in the Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurter Rundschau, the Frankfurter Neue Press, Mix Am Mittowoch, Journal Frankfurt, and radio station Antenne Frankfurt, which has simultaneous broadcasts in 15 other areas around Germany. (end)

PH game dev industry players make most of first foray in Gamescom Cologne

October 5, 2016

The Philippines was one of 54 countries that showcased its game development credentials at the Gamescom 2016 in Cologne. Gamescom, the world’s biggest event focused on computer and video games, took place on 17-21 August 2016 and focused on the theme “Heroes in New Dimensions.”

PH Commercial Counsellor in Germany Althea Antonio (5th from left) and PTIC-Berlin staff Van Randolf Tan (2nd from left) join the PH delegation at Gamescom 2016 under the GAMEDEVPhilippines banner.

The Philippines’ first outing in Gamescom, under the banner GAMEDEVPhilippines, was organized by the Board of Investments (BOI), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) Berlin, and the Game Development Association of the Philippines (GDAP), and featured five Philippine companies:

Synergy88 (art-strong creative digital solutions)
Zeenoh (end-to-end game development)
Altitude Games (mobile games)
Transcom (customer support)
GameOps (operational support)

They were among the 877 companies that showcased their products and services to more than 345,000 fair visitors from 97 countries. These included 30,500 trade visitors.

The Philippine delegation also met with German games industry associations and the games and media clusters from Hamburg, Berlin, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. They also met with game development groups from France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. These exchanges focused on possible industry collaboration, and served as an opportunity to highlight the value Philippine companies can offer in terms of game-related services and support activities.

More than just an outsourcing hub, the Philippines boasts numerous game studios that have developed and released hit games worldwide from concept design to engineering, art, quality assurance, all the way to regional and global publishing. Local video game development support studios have provided motion capture animation services in the development of well-known international video games including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Heavy Rain, Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us, to name a few. (end)

Philippine-German Folklore Group “Damayan” Holds Silver Jubilee Anniversary

September 28, 2016

Members and friends of Damayan gather on-stage to celebrate their 25th
anniversary

The Philippine-German folklore group “Damayan” celebrated its 25th anniversary in Osnabrück, Germany thru an evening of folklore and dance under the theme “Pista sa Nayon.” “We want to celebrate our jubilee year by allowing our guests to experience true Filipino culture,” remarked Elizabeth Tiemann, Chairperson of the Damayan Philippinische-Deutsche Folkloregruppe e.V.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Jens Martin of the SPD Party in the Osnabrück city council was all praises for the dance group Damayan, saying that he has heard so much positive news about the group. “Upon hearing such stories, I think: this is how integration should work. This is why I am grateful for the commitment of the association in the past 25 years,” he said.

Minister and Consul Adrian Cruz, who represented the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the group for celebrating its silver jubilee. In the spirit of “damayan” or “solidarity,” he also encouraged the group to partner with the Philippine Embassy in its conduct of mobile outreach missions and dialogues with Filipinos living in Lower Saxony, and even with those who have already become naturalized German citizens.

Consul Cruz joins two ati-atihan dancers for a photo-op

The dance group “Damayan” presently seeks new members – interested Filipinos and Germans alike – who wish to learn about Philippine culture through indigenous dances. Damayan also engages in various charity activities, which include the sponsoring of a charity for children with leukemia and providing financial contribution for the reconstruction of houses devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in 2014. The proceeds of their recent event will be provided to Nehemia Christliches Hilfswerk e.V. for its relief operations benefiting the orphaned children in Apayao, Northern Philippines. (END)

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The Philippine Embassy in Berlin

“East Meets West” Training Camp Brings Modern Arnis Grandmasters to Germany

Philippines adds fun at the Museum Embankment Festival 2016, Frankfurt

PH game dev industry players make most of first foray in Gamescom Cologne

Philippine-German Folklore Group “Damayan” Holds Silver Jubilee Anniversary

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