The Philippine Embassy in Berlin

Philippine Embassy and Transwing Art Gallery, Inc. Present Rizalian Art in Berlin

Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek (Middle) formally opens the vernissage with Klaus Hartung, Owner and President of Transwing Art Gallery, Inc (left) and artist Arnel Garcia (right)

Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek (Middle) formally opens the vernissage with Klaus Hartung, Owner and President of Transwing Art Gallery, Inc (left) and artist Arnel Garcia (right)

To further celebrate the 155th Birth Anniversary of Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal and to welcome the month of August when National Heroes Day is celebrated, the Philippine Embassy and Transwing Art Gallery, Inc. have partnered to hold the visual arts exhibit “Rizal Through the Eyes of Artists.” Featured are the works of Arnel Garcia, Rene Robles. Ronna Manansala, and Ferdinand Ruiz. The exhibit will run from 29 July to 12 August 2016.

Garcia explains his relief sculptures of Rizal.

Garcia explains his relief sculptures of Rizal.

A formal opening was held on 28 July 2016 at the Philippine Embassy in Kurfürstendamm. Present during the vernissage was Pampanga-based artist Arnel David Garcia. He talked about his vision as an artist and explained his works on display. Garcia presented Rizal in relief scupltures (resin and mixed media). One rendition had Rizal’s face separated in various parts, implying the various facets of the hero. Another relief sculpture positioned Rizal with leaders like Jesus Christ and Mao Tse-tung, implying their impact on people. Garcia is known to work as a sculptor and painter and has participated in solo and group exhibitions in the Philippines.  The Berlin exhibition is his international debut.

Bulacan-based painter and graphic artist Ferdinand Rae Ruiz titled his work “Rizal Map” (acrylic) and presented a picture-perfect rendition of Rizal with a backdrop map of the places the hero visited in Europe.

Filipino merienda was served for over 50 Filipinos and Germans attending the vernissage

Filipino merienda was served for over 50 Filipinos and Germans attending the vernissage

Painter and sculptor Ronna Manansala, who is the granddaughter of the Philippines’ National Artist, Vicente Manansala, used bold brush strokes (oil) in presenting Rizal.

Artist Rene Robles showed Rizal behind several white doors in a predominantly red setting which could be interpreted as Rizal reopening doors for the nation after his imprisonment.  Works of Robles have found their way into the collections of His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain, King Khalid of Saudi Arabia, former United States President Bill Clinton, and Malcolm Forbes, among others.

To set the mood, Second Secretary and Consul Rona Beth Goce (left) read excerpts from Jose Rizal´s poem, “To the Flowers of Heidelberg” in English while First Secretary and Consul Catherine Rose Torres delivered excerpts in Filipino. At the background, Ronna Manansala’s “Rizal.”

To set the mood, Second Secretary and Consul Rona Beth Goce (left) read excerpts from Jose Rizal´s poem, “To the Flowers of Heidelberg” in English while First Secretary and Consul Catherine Rose Torres delivered excerpts in Filipino. At the background, Ronna Manansala’s “Rizal.”

“Rizal Through the Eyes of Artists” is open to the public from Monday to Friday, between 0900h to 1600h,  29 July to 12 August 2016, at the Philippine Embassy, 2nd Floor Haus Cumberland, Kurfürstendamm 194, 10707 Berlin.

Cardinal Tagle Leads 30th Jubilee Celebration of the Philippine Community in Berlin

The Filipino community, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle , Ambassador Millie SMThomeczek and between them, Father Jun de Ocampo, take time to pose by the staircase of St. Hedwig Cathedral in Berlin. Earlier the Cardinal led a concelebrated Holy Mass to mark the occasion. An estimated 600 Filipinos attended. (Photo by Mr. Rey de Paz)

The Filipino community, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle , Ambassador Millie SMThomeczek and between them, Father Jun de Ocampo, take time to pose by the staircase of St. Hedwig Cathedral in Berlin. Earlier the Cardinal led a concelebrated Holy Mass to mark the occasion. An estimated 600 Filipinos attended. (Photo by Mr. Rey de Paz)

The Philippine Embassy, the Philippine Catholic Community and the Archdiocese of Berlin, on the occasion of the “30th Jubilee Year of the Philippine Community” in Berlin, hosted a two-day event with guest of honor Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle,  the 32nd Archbishop of Manila, from 1- 2 August 2016.  Cardinal Tagle arrived in Berlin from the World Youth Day celebration in Krakow, Poland where he gave talks to thousands of participating young people.

About 600 Filipinos from all over Germany as well as neighboring countries came to participate in the two-day event which kicked off with the Cardinal´s talk at the Bernhard-Lichtenberg-Haus.  It was followed with the celebration of the Holy Mass at St. Hedwig´s Cathedral in Berlin and a Filipino Community dinner-gathering.  The next day, Cardinal Tagle celebrated Mass at the Heilig Geist Pfarrkirche in Bayernallee, the church which the Philippine Catholic Community has called home since 1986.

His talks revolved around the anniversary theme of “Breaking Walls that Divide”. With his Filipino and German audiences intently listening, the Cardinal touched on the subject of Mercy and Thanksgiving. He expounded on two elements of Mercy: compassion, connectedness and fidelity. Later, he also preached on the subject of thanksgiving, humility and other virtues which break barriers that divide.

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On the sidelines of his visit, the Embassy arranged for His Eminence to meet with representatives of the German Caritas Association and Misereor, the German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Cooperation.  Both organizations raised funds for Typhoon Haiyan victims and have continuing development projects in the Philippines.

In his talk to the Filipino Community in Germany at the Bernhard Lichtenberg Hall in Berlin, the Cardinal found a listening and well-engaged audience eager to listen and meet him.

In his talk to the Filipino Community in Germany at the Bernhard Lichtenberg Hall in Berlin, the Cardinal found a listening and well-engaged audience eager to listen and meet him.

Cardinal Tagle is the current President of Caritas International, the federation of all country Caritas – Catholic relief, development and social service organizations.

On 2 August 2016, over a hundred people attended the concelebrated Holy Mass at the Heilig Geist Pfarrkirche where he preached on the virtue of humility and further enjoined the community to continue to love, understand and accept one another.

On 2 August 2016, over a hundred people attended the concelebrated Holy Mass at the Heilig Geist Pfarrkirche where he preached on the virtue of humility and further enjoined the community to continue to love, understand and accept one another.

The visit to Berlin was the Cardinal’s first encounter with the Filipino Catholic communities in Germany. Both the Philippine Embassy and the Berlin Philippine Catholic Community Group under the chaplainship of Fr. Jun de Ocampo, SVD, cooperated to make the visit possible. The Archdiocese of Berlin also extended hospitalities.

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Embassy holds consular outreach in Schifferstadt

A team from the Philippine Embassy in Berlin administered more than 150 consular services during a one-day mobile consular outreach at the Katholische Pfarrheim St. Jacobs in Schifferstadt.

The Embassy team with members of the Filipino Catholic Community in Schifferstadt.

The Embassy team with members of the Filipino Catholic Community in Schifferstadt.

A small and quiet town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Schifferstadt is easily accessible to Filipinos based in North Rhine–Westphalia to the north, Hessen to the east, Baden-Württemberg to the southeast, and Saarland to the southwest. It also has an active Filipino organization, the Filipino Catholic Community, which coordinated the activity with the embassy and made arrangements for the venue. The same group, led by Ms. Rohnna Yee-Fath, also helped organize an Embassy outreach in the same venue in 2015.

This year’s team was composed of Consul Catherine Torres, Ms. Amor Del Mundo, Ms. Rowena Hernandez, Ms. Lourdes Marie Reyes, and Mr. Melchor Francisco. They processed 119 passport applications using the new ePassport system, as well as several civil registry reports and notarizations.

A applicant having her biometrics captured using the new ePassport system.

A applicant having her biometrics captured using the new ePassport system.

The conduct of mobile outreach activities continues to be an important pillar of the Embassy’s consular operations. Further missions are scheduled this year in Munich on 03 September, Essen on 17 September, and Ulm on 15 October.

Registration for these upcoming missions will be through the online appointment system, and those interested to avail of services are encouraged to regularly check the Embassy’s website and Facebook page for updates. (end)

Remembering Apolinario Mabini on the 152nd Anniversary of his Birth (23 July)

Source: http://malacanang.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Mabini2.jpg

Source: http://malacanang.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Mabini2.jpg

Apolinario Mabini was a Filipino revolutionary, the first Prime Minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines upon the establishment of the First Philippine Republic.

Expounding on the ideals that he believed the Philippine Revolution should have had, he wrote “El Verdadero Decalogo” (The True Decalogue) in May 1898. Aguinaldo authorized its continued publication, together with Mabini’s proposed constitution.

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