Publication of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing

Philippines-China

CHRONICLEVol. 3 No.2 March-April 2002

Mr. Wang Zhongyu, State Councilor andconcurrently Secretary General of China’s State Council,visited the Philippines on 26-29 January 2002. Duringhis visit, Mr. Wang, who has a rank equivalent to a VicePremier, held meetings with Mr. Alberto Romulo,Executive Secretary of H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Ms. Karina Constantino-David, Chairpersonof the Philippine Civil Service Commission.

Mr. Wang’s visit was part of a three-nation tourthat includes Myanmar and Cambodia. He was joinedby Mr. Zhang Xuechong, China’s Minister of Personnel,and Mr. Wang Xiaochu, Director General, Departmentof International Exchange and Cooperation of China’sMinistry of Personnel.

PGMA meets China Finance chiefChina’s Finance Minister, Mr. Xiang Huaicheng

paid a call on President Gloria Macapagal -Arroyoduring his official visit to Manila on 24 - 27 March.President Arroyo welcomed Minister Xiang to thePhilippines, saying that she was “very grateful” for thefriendship that the People’s Republic of China accordsher and her administration.

President Arroyo underscored the policy of thePhilippine government to encourage more Chinese tocome to the Philippines for tourism and business.

In a separate meeting, Finance SecretaryCamacho and Minister Xiang discussed two-trade andinvestments as well as China’s wide-ranging interestsin the region. Secretary Camacho also expressedappreciation on behalf of the government for US$ 100-million credit facility extended by China for agriculturalinfrastructure projects in the Philippine countryside.

CPPCC leader pledges strongeragri cooperation

Vice Chairman Song Jian of the China People’sPolitical Consultative Committee (CPPCC) stressedChina’s commitment to support the Philippine’sagricultural modernization program during hismeeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 3April.

Vice Chairman Song conveyed the appreciationof China’s President Jiang Zemin for President Arroyo’scommitment to strengthening Philippines-Chinabilateral relations.

Vice Chairman Song pointed out that thePhilippine-China Agriculture Technology Center in theScience City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija - now underconstruction- will be the hub of technical exchangebetween scientists and experts. He proposed the settingup of manufacturing plants by Chinese firms in thecountry to boost partnership in the field of agriculturalsupplies and equipment.

He also vowed to help in expanding bilateralcooperation in the areas of information andcommunications technology and enterpreneurship.

Philippine foreign service missions in China haveunified and eased visa requirements for Chinesenationals travelling to the Philippines for business orpleasure by reducing visa fees by 20 per cent, shorteningthe visa processing period and simplifying applicationprocedures.

The modified measures were drafted at themeeting held in Beijing last 26-27 January chaired byPhilippine Ambassador to China Mr.Josue L. Villa. These measures wereimplemented by the Philippine posts inBeijing, Xiamen, Guangzhou andHongkong beginning 1 February.

The revised guidelines aim to honethe Philippines’ competitiveness as atravel destination and in line with thedirective from President GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo to promote businessand tourism exchanges with China.

“We hope that more friendly visapolicies will encourage the Chinese toview the Philippines as a friendlydestination for tourism and business”, Ambassador Villasaid.

Under the revised guidelines, accredited tour grouphandlers, as well as individual travelers, will submit lessdocumentary requirements, may claim the visas earlier

than the normal 3-day processing period and pay lessfor the visa fees. In case of tour groups, the usualovertime fee will be waived for the release of the visawithin 24 hours.

In addition, individual visa applicants are nolonger required to submit letters of invitation andguarantee from the Philippines as long as they presentdocumentary proof of financial capacity in China.

Magtulungan para sa Bayan...lsang turista lang ang kailangan!

Visa requirements for Chinese nationals simplified

Ambassador Villa (seated, third from left) together withConsuls General Isaias Begonia (Guangzhou), Zenaida Angara-Collinson, Corazon Yap-Bahjin(Xiamen), Elizabeth Buensuceso(Beijing) in a photo taken after the consultation meeting inBeijing. Behind them are Consul Noel Fernandez (Beijing), MsRose Calderon (Xiamen), Vice Consul Lourdes Legaspi(Guangzhou) and Consul Domingo Lucenario (Hongkong).

in support of

A high-level delegation from the House ofRepresentatives led by Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.attended the 3rd General Assembly of the Association ofAsian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) held on 16-19 April.Other members of the Philippine delegation includedDeputy Speaker Antonio Cuenco, Congressman RoqueAblan and Deputy Secretary-General of the House ofRepresentatives Ricardo Roque. The delegation wasaccompanied by Ambassador Josue Villa and SecondSecretary and Consul Hjayceelyn Quintana of thePhilippine Embassy.

Delegates to the AAPP delivered statements on thethree topics under the theme “Peace and Development”namely: (a) Multi-Polarization and World Peace, (b)Globalization and Developing Countries, and (c) CloserInternational Cooperation and Establishment of a NewInternational Political and Economic Order.

Chairman Li Peng of the National People’sCongress (NPC) of China opened the conference inBeijing and continued the sessions in Chongqing incentral China. The AAPP membership of the Philippineswas formalized during the conference. At the closingceremony, Speaker de Venecia announced the decisionto host the next AAPP assembly in Manila.

After the conference, Speaker de Venecia proceeded

to Changchun together with officials of the PhilippineNational Railways and the Bases ConversionDevelopment Authority (BCDA) to visit a train carproduction facility.

Speaker de Venecia also met with Vice Minister AnMin of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and EconomicCooperation and Vice Minister Sun Yongfu of theMinistry of Railways in Beijing on 22 April. Thesemeetings were in connection with the proposedinvolvement of Chinese firms in the reconstruction andmodernization of the Philippines’ railway system.

House Speaker De Venecia leads lawmakers in international forumin Beijing, Chongqing

House Speaker De Venecia and Chairman Li Peng ofthe National People’s Congress after their one-on-onemeeting at the fringes of the AAPP General Assembly.

State Councilor Wangvisits Manila

Philippines-China Chronicle 2 March-April 2002

DIPLOMATIC NOTES

Visit ReportsLabor undersecretary in ASEMMeeting

Labor Undersecretary Manuel G. Imsonadvocated for the protection of the rights of Filipinomigrant workers at an experts’ meeting held inBeijing on 25-26 February. The meeting was held toprepare for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)Ministerial Conference on Cooperation for theManagement of Migratory flows between Asia andEurope. Mr. Imson contributed Philippineexperiences and perspectives on the issues of labormigratory flows, labor exploitation, and humantrafficking.

The meeting was attended by expert-levelofficials from 15 European countries and 10 Asiancountries. It was hosted by H.E. Mr. Wang Guangya,Vice Foreign Minister of China.

Local budget officials from Mindanao

A 58-member delegation composed mainly oflocal chief executives and budget officers fromMindanao headed by Undersecretary Mario L.Relampagos of the Department of Budget andManagement (DBM) visited Beijing, Shanghai andXiamen from 2-9 April as part of an Educational Tourto China. The delegation included Governor RodolfoP. del Rosario of Davao del Norte, Mayor Oscar M.Bermudez of Tagum City, Mayor Irenea R. Hitganoof Trento, Agusan del Sur, Mayor Melquiades D.Azcuna, Jr. of Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental,Mayor Romulo S. Rodriguez, Jr. of Gingoog City,Mayor Rodolfo D. Luna of Don Victoriano, MisamisOccidental, Vice Mayor Erico Basilio Fabian ofZamboanga City, and Ms. Virginia San Agustin Gara,Budget Officer of Zamboanga City and President ofthe Mindanao League of Local Budget Officers(MLLBO).

The Educational Tour to China was part of theprize package extended to the awardees of the recentlyconcluded Mindanao-wide “Search for the MostOutstanding LGUs in Local Budget Administrationfor CY 2001” conducted under the auspices of theDBM and the MLLBO. Usec. Relampagos and selectedmembers of the delegation also met with Vice MinisterJin Li Qun of the Ministry of Finance to exchangeviews on the budget process and local fiscaladministration.

Legislators from LuzonA delegation from the House of Representatives

led by Congressman Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr. visitedBeijing and Shanghai from 6 to 13 April. Thedelegation included Congressman Oscar I. Gozos,Congressman Danton Bueser, CongressmanFrancisco S. Perez, Congresswoman Victoria H. Reyes,and Congresswoman Georgilu Yumul-Hermida.

During their visit, the delegation met with Mr.Dong Xuebo, Director General of the Department ofPlanning, Ministry of Communications. Thedelegation was given a briefing on the transportationsystem of China. The delegation exchanged viewswith the Chinese side on possible cooperation betweenthe two countries on this matter.

Seminar on ConfidenceBuilding in the South ChinaSea held in Manila

The Philippines hosted the “Seminar on BilateralConfidence Building in the South China Sea,” in Manilaon 5 March. This activity, which was attended byofficials and academics from the Philippines and China,provided a forum for the two sides to exchange viewson the issue of joint development and joint cooperation(JD/JC).

The Philippine delegation was headed by ActingAssistant Secretary Antonio V. Rodriguez of the Asianand Pacific Affairs Office, Department of Foreign Affairs,while the Chinese delegation was led by Mr. Liu Jian,Counselor of the Asian Department, Ministry of ForeignAffairs.

Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Manila andthe Philippine Embassy in Beijing participated in theseminar.

The two sides have agreed to exchangeinformation/documents concerning their respectivecooperation agreements with other countries as well asdomestic laws and regulations relating to possible JD/JC arrangements between the two countries.

Both sides recognized the importance ofcontinuing the discussions on this issue.

Consul Issa Almojuela is shown with Russianjournalist Dmitri (left) , joining other diplomats,foreign correspondents and overseas students in atree-planting activity at Mentougou in the cityoutskirts on 6 April. The annual tree-plantingactivity of the Beijing Municipality is part of the city’santi-desertification program and helps raise publicawareness on environmental issues

First Gentleman Atty. Miguel Arroyo andChairman Benjamin Abalos of the Metro ManilaDevelopment Authority led 10 mayors of Metro Manilain an official visit to Shanghai on 12- 15 March.

According Chairman Abalos, MMDA organized thevisit to familiarize the top executive leaders of MetroManila on the experiences of Shanghai Municipalityon urban planning and administration. He said it alsohelped to consolidate the support of these leaders in theintegrated urban renewal projects in Metro Manila andthe 15-year rehabilitation program of the Pasig River.

The participating mayors were Mr. FelicianoBelmonte, Jr. (Quezon City), Mr. Joselito Atienza, Jr.(Manila), Mr. Jaime Fresnedi (Muntinlupa), Mr.Reynaldo Malonzo (Caloocan City), Ms. Maria LourdesFernando (Marikina), Mr. Joey Marquez (Parañaque),Mr. Wenceslao Trinidad (Pasay City), Mr. JoseEmmanuel Carlos (Valenzuela City), Mr. RosendoCapco (Pateros) and Mr. Sigfrido Tinga (Taguig), aswell as Mr. Pedro S. Cuerpo, Mayor of RodriguezMunicipality of Rizal.

The delegation’s itinerary included meetings withof f ic ia ls o f the Shanghai Land and HouseAdministration, Shanghai Environmental ProtectionBureau, Shanghai Urban Planning and DesignResearch Institute. Shanghai Vice Mayor Zhu Muyaohosted a luncheon for the delegation on 14 March.

Executive Director Mrs. Bingle Guttierez of thePasig River Commission, who was also part of thedelegation, was given a briefing on the implementationof the Shanghai Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Programand a site tour thereafter. Both the Pasig River andSuzhou Creek projects are funded in part by the AsianDevelopment Bank, and share similar technicalcomponents.

Metro Manila mayorsvisit Shanghai

Ambassador Josue Villa was the featured speakeron 28 March at the “Forum on the Asia-Pacific,” amonthly seminar organized by the Chinese Academy ofSocial Sciences - a top government think-tank in China.

Amb. Villa spoke on Philippine relations withChina and ASEAN. In his speech, Amb. Villa noted thecurrent dynamism in the political and economicrelations between the Philippines and China.

He also propounded on Philippine initiatives inASEAN and positions on regional security and economicissues.

The two-hour forum, held at the Institute of AsiaPacific Studies, was attended by Chinese scholars,representatives from government agencies and researchinstitutes, and journalists.

The seminar was moderated by Prof. ZhangYunling, Director of the Institute, and coordinated byits Deputy Director, Prof. Han Feng.

Ambassador Villa speaks at CASS

Tree-Planting in Beijing

Philippines-China Chronicle 3 March-April 2002

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

FROM THE CONSUL’S DESK

Overseas Employment Certificate

OFWs in China who have not registered withPOEA can avail of the benefits of the Balik-Manggagawa Program by registering with POEAduring their vacation in the Philippines beforereturning to their employer. POEA will issue anOverseas Employment Certificate (OEC) to the OFW.Among the benefits of the Balik-Manggagawa Programare exemption from the Philippine travel tax, airportterminal fees and facilitation in clearing immigrationdeparture counters.

POEA requires the submission of the followingdocuments for the issuance of an OEC: (1) validpassport; (2) valid re-entry visa/work permit; and (3)an Artist Record Book (ARB) for entertainers. A POEAProcessing Fee of P100 will be collected, together withan OWWA Membership Fee of P1,275.00 and an annualMedicare Coverage premium of P900.00.

Adequate supply of passports

In the face of rumors circulating in thePhilippines concerning the shortage of Philippinepassports, the Embassy wishes to assure Filipinos inChina that the Embassy has an adequate supply ofpassports to meet their needs.

Recruitment of teachers through internetadvertisements

The Embassy has noted the presence of a numberof Filipino English teachers who were recruited to workin China through internet advertisement. The Embassyanticipates more language schools established in Chinato be actively recruiting Filipino English teachers.

It is advisable that the employment contract bereferred to appropriate labor agencies in the Philippinesto ensure that the terms of the contract are notdisadvantageous to the Filipino teacher. Filipinosrecruited as English teachers are requested to secureproper working visas in order not to violate Chineselabor regulations.

Be a Tourism Volunteer!

What is V-12 or Philippine Tourism Volunteer 12?V-12 is a program of the Philippine

Department of Tourism (DOT) which seeks tomobilize all overseas Filipinos in marketing thePhilippines as Tourism Volunteers so they can sendforeign tourists to the country who can avail ofgenerous discounts and other benefits.

Who can be a Tourism Volunteer?Any Filipino working or residing overseas who

deeply cares for his country and is willing topersonally promote the Philippines to foreignfriends, bosses, peers and acquaintances and invitethem to visit the Philippines.

Rev. Samuel D. Trinidad, who is based inSeoul, blazed the trail by bringing 56 South Koreanfriends to visit the Philippines on 17 December 2001and another group of 12 on 12 January 2002.

How to become a Tourism Volunteer?Simply fill out a V-12 registration form at any

Philippine embassy/consulate, or overseas labor ortourism office. One can also access the website www.wowphilippines.com.ph and register on-line.

What are the incentives of the program?* Up to US$26,000 in cash* Free round-trip air tickets to/from the

Philippines courtesy of Philippine Airlines (PAL)* Free hotel accommodation in the Philippines* Additional duty-free non-cash shopping

privileges equivalent to $100 or more at Duty FreePhilippines

* Attractive discounts and amenities fromparticipating establishments

* The prestigious KALAKBAY Award

The more foreign guests one brings to thePhilippines, the greater chances for a volunteer towin these prizes. The top twelve V-12 volunteers willbe determined after December 2002.

For more information on the V-12 program,tourism events in the Philippines, and tourismpackages, visit www.wowphilippines.com.ph.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDEE

Ricky Yambing, a Fi l ipinoworking as Head of the Elderly CareD e p a r t m e n t a t t h e C h r i s t i a nBroadcasting Network (CBN) China,was recently awarded The 2001 CBNInternational President’s Award forExcellence in recognition of hisoutstanding service to the poor andelderly people of China. The award wasconferred by Dr. Pat Robertson, CBNFounder and Chairman and a populartelevangelist. Mr. Yambing was one ofonly two awardees in the whole of CBNnetwork. CBN has representative officesin 13 countries worldwide.

(This is the 6th of a series of features on Philippinediplomats in China)

Consul Domingo D. Lucenario, Jr.

Philippine Consulate General, Hong Kong

P R O F I L E

Consul Domingo “Doy” D. Lucenario, Jr.assumed his position as second-in- command officerin the Philippine Consulate General, Hong Kong, in2000 after his posting as First Secretary and Consul inthe Philippine Embassy in Canberra, Australia, for fouryears. He had earlier served in the Philippine Embassyin Berlin and the Philippine Consulate in Hamburg.

In Manila, he was the Deputy Chief ofPresidential Protocol in Malacañang from 1993 to 1996.He also assumed various capacities in the Office ofConsular Affairs and Office of Personnel andAdministration Services of the Department of ForeignAffairs. He was research assistant in the East EuropeanDivision of the Office of Political Affairs before becominga Foreign Service Officer.

Doy obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree inPolitical Science from Manuel L. Quezon Universitywhere he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1980. Aftersuccessfully passing the tough examination for ForeignService Officers in 1989, he studied in San Beda Collegeobtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree. He passed the bar,then pursued a Master of Laws degree at the Universityof Manila.

Doy’s affable manner, efficiency andprofessionalism are well-noted by his peers and theFilipino community.

“Attorney” Doy is happily married to anotherattorney - Nida Arada Lucenario. They are blessed withthree wonderful children.

FILCOMSHA elects new officers

The F i l ip ino Community o f Shanghai(FILCOMSHA) elected the following officers for the year2002 on 20 April:

President : Berlin CanoyVice-President : Giovanni GapasinTreasurer : Tong Deala PazSecretary : Mel FelicianoAuditor : John John GarciaPRO : Tony Rivera

Officers of the Philippine Consulate in Shanghaiwitnessed the elections.

Philippines-China Chronicle 4 March-April 2002

ALC undertakes donation drivefor Beijing orphans

The ASEAN Ladies Circle, under the leadership ofMadame Caroline Villa, visited the Beijing Children’sWelfare Institute on 28 March and handed over 39 boxesof goods, garments and snack food for the youngresidents of the institute and its units across Beijing.

Mme. Villa and other spouses of ASEANAmbassadors in Beijing, together with other ALCrepresentatives, were received by Mme. WangChenguang, Director of the Institute and given a walk-through of the educational and clinical facilities atHaidian District. Senior officials of the Ministry of CivilAffairs were also present during their visit.

Beijing Children’s Welfare Institute was foundedin 1984 and is considered a first-rank social welfareinstitute for orphaned and disabled children.

A 26-member group of the Manila Jaycees, thepioneer chapter of the international youth leadershiptraining organization in Asia, visited Xiamen, Shanghaiand Beijing on 20 - 26 March.

Atty. Joel Rufino A. Nuñez, President of the ManilaJaycees said the visit aimed to help promote businessand youth organization links between the Philippinesand China.

The group, composed of enterpreneurs andprofessionals within the 22-40 age bracket, hosted adinner for Mayor Zhu Yayan of Xiamen City and haddialogues with professors of the China EuropeInternational Business School and Shanghai UniversityGraduate School in Shanghai.

Manila Jaycees make historic visit to China

Mme. Caroline Villa interacts with children and a staff atthe Institute before the donation ceremony

Ambassador Villa (seated in the center) and Embassy officers with the Jaycees mission after dinner at the Grand HyattHotel in Beijing on 25 March. The group conferred an honorary Jaycees membership to Ambassdor Villa that evening

The Philippine Consulate General in Shanghaiwill open to the public in May, months following thedecision by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo toestablish the mission with the view of expanding tourismand business links between the country and China’scommercial powerhouse.

Shanghai’s economic force is evident in the factthat it is host to over half of the world’s top 500companies and branches of over 50 foreign banks,including the Philippines’ Metrobank. The city, whichwas the financial capital of Asia and called “Paris ofthe East” in the 1930s, is being geared to become “ themajor financial, trading and economic center” west ofthe Pacific Ocean. Many see Shanghai as the paramountAsian business hub in the new century.

The city, and the access it offers through the sevenprovinces by the Yangtze River and the neighboringeastern provinces, presents boundless economicopportunities in China for the Philippines.

The Philcongen advance team led by Vice ConsulAileen Mendiola arrived in Shanghai on 17 April andimmediately began preparations for putting the missioninto operation.

Its initial activities included meetings with officialsof the Foreign Affairs Office and other relevant officials

of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government as well themembers of the Filipino community in Shanghai.

The four-person team is holding office at the 18thfloor of Hongkong Plaza Service Apartments at No. 282Huaihai Zhong Road. Its contact numbers are (021)6390 8866 (telephone) and (021) 6390 8855 (fax).

It was during her visit to Shanghai in October 2001 thatPresident Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced to Chineseleaders and Filipino community her decision to open aPhilippine Consulate General in the city

Philippines- ChinaCHRONICLE

is a bi-monthly publication of thePhilippine Embassy in Beijing.

Contributions and comments are welcome.

Address: No.23 Xiu Shui Bei Jie,Jianguomenwai, 1000600 Beijing,

People’s Republic of ChinaTrunklines: (10) 6532 1872, 6532 2451, 6532 2518

Fax No. : (10) 6532 3761E-mail:beijingpe@cinet.com.cn

Former President Ramos electedChairman of Boao Forum for Asia

Former Pres ident F ide l V . Ramos wasunanimously elected as Chairman of the 11-memberBoard of Directors of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA),currently the biggest non-governmental internationalforum in the region.

The election was held during the first annualconference of the BFA in Hainan Province, China on12-13 April. The inaugural meeting was attended byheads of government led by Chinese Premier ZhuRongji, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi,Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and PrimeMinister Lee Han Dong of the Republic of Korea. Nearly2,000 delegates from government, research, andbusiness circles from 48 countries attended the forum.

Former President Ramos is considered one of theinitiators of this forum which is recognized as an idealplatform for multi-level and multi-channel dialoguesin Asia.

Former President Ramos addresses government andbusiness leaders at the Boao Forum in Hainan

Philippine Consulate General Shanghai opens