BAGUIO CITY – Some eighteen ambassadors of the European Union (EU) and its member states had a three-day visit to the country’s undisputed Summer Capital to experience and get first-hand information about the situation in other parts of the country.
EU Head Ambassador Massimo Santoro said that they knew about the city that emphasizes good governance, digitalization and environmental sustainability as well as a seat for academic excellence and for a vibrant and creative civil society.
“I think our visit has confirmed those assumptions which makes the reputation of the city,” Ambassador Santoro stressed.
The EU head ambassador, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed his gratitude to the local government officials and civil society inter-locators for their warm hospitality, frank sharing of experiences and incredibly well runned logistical assistance that have made their visit possible.
He admitted that it is not as easy to receive such a big group as the EU ambassadors from 17 member countries out of a total 27 EU member states, including some ambassadors who are based out of the country and who flew to the Philippines primarily for the said occasion.
According to him, the EU ambassadors had a productive discussion with city officials where they learned more about the local government’s policies which was complimented by a visit to the command center of the city’s disaster risk reduction and management office.
Further, the EU ambassadors also visited the green LGUs project that is being supported by the EU.
“We were happy to see that Baguio’s priorities very much reflect the priorities of the EU in those two critical areas,” he claimed.
The EU ambassadors had a chance to visit two projects of the EU in the city and the Cordillera; one which aims to support national efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, including online sexual abuse or exploitation of children and violation of acceptable working conditions; and another project that is part of the EU’s support to the Philippines justice sector, notably to the inter-sectoral coordination through justice zones, one of which has been established in the city.
Moreover, the EU ambassadors witnessed the city’s efforts to promote reading among children, through a ‘hooked on books’ project spearheaded by the local government.
The EU ambassadors also had the chance to tour the Presidential Mansion before proceeding to Metro Manila after the conclusion of their three-day visit.
Aside from Santoro, the other EU ambassadors of the member states who were with the delegation were Hungarian ambassador Dr. Titanilla Toth, Belgian ambassador Michel Parys, Romanian ambassador Raduta Dana Matache, Greek ambassador Loannis Pediotis, Austrian ambassador Dr. Johann Brieger, Danish ambassador Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, German ambassador Dr. Andreas Pfaffernoschke, French ambassador Marie Fontanel, Lithuanian ambassador Ricardas Slepavicius, Czech ambassador Karel Hejc, Italian ambassador Davide Giglio, Irish ambassador Emma Hickey, Finish ambassador Saija Nurminen, Cyprus ambassador Nicholas Panayiotou, Swedish ambassador Anna Ferry, Polish ambassador Anna Krzak-Danel and Slovenian ambassador Dragan Barbutovski. By Dexter A. See