21 October 2004—The Philippine Embassy in Brunei today informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the recent two-week educational visit to the Philippines of Brunei’s Pusat Ehsan Handicraft Team has further strengthened people-to-people relations after successfully providing physically and mentally challenged Bruneians with services and necessary training that would help them reach their full potentials in life.

“With the wide range of training received, the head of the team, Ms. Mariah Maisarrah bte. Abdullah extended her gratitude and praises for the Philippine Government for the Filipino skills shared during the visit,” Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez said in her report to the Department.   The visit, which generated a huge reservoir of goodwill, is part of the Department’s socio-cultural diplomacy program which aims to  promote stronger people-to-people relations between the two countries, Ambassador  Benavidez added.

During the visit, the Team underwent a 3-day on-the-job training each at the Tahanang Walang Hagdan, Inc., the National Rehabilitation Center and D’Secret Garden, where they not only acquired significant skills in handicraft making but gained new friends as well. The members attended workshops on metal craft, wooden craft, needlecraft, packaging, silkscreen printing, wheelchair maintenance, watch repair, tailoring, cloth weaving, computer repair, cooking, theraphy massage for the blind and recycling. With the new skills acquired, the Team hopes to expand their Center, the Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam.

The Pusat Ehsan delegation comprised of seven special people from its Handicrafts Unit and five staff members and volunteers. The Team also paid courtesy calls on Director Ma. Alicia Bonoan of Department of Social Welfare and Development and Executive Director Catalina L. Fermin of the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons, who provided them with extensive briefing on the Philippine Government’s projects and programs for the welfare of and development of the differently-abled Filipinos. END  (Pls. refer to SFA-AGR-613-04, dated 5 October 2004.)