DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
 

SFA-AGR-283a-08

Embassy assists Philippine delegation to

ipu assembly in cape town

 

23 April 2008 — Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Embassy provided assistance to the Philippine delegation to the 118th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held in Cape Town from 13 – 18 April 2008.

 

The Philippine delegation was led by Senate President Manny Villar and included Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Gregorio Honasan, Francis Pangilinan, and Aquilino Pimentel, as well as former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., with Representatives Teodoro Casiņo, Laarni Cayetano, Eduardo Gullas, Jose Carlos Lacson, Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, Liza Maza, Reylina Nicolas, Carlos Padilla, Jesus Remulla, Emmylou Taliņo-Mendoza, and Cynthia Villar.

 

Ambassador Reyes led Embassy personnel Vice Consul Eric R. Aquino, Property Officer Erastus P. Arbado, Assistant Carlos S. Cruz and Embassy driver Jose O. Jimenez in providing assistance to the delegates in Cape Town while Minister and Consul General Renato L. Villapando led the remaining Embassy personnel in Pretoria in providing assistance to Philippine delegates passing through Johannesburg and Pretoria.

 

In Cape Town, the Embassy team worked with representatives of the IPU in providing the Philippine delegates with airport courtesies and assistance at the convention and travel around Cape Town.

 

A highlight of the visit of the Philippine delegation to Cape Town was a salu-salo jointly hosted by Ambassador Reyes and the Cape Town-based Filipino-South African Friendship Society (FILSAFS), and held at the residence of FILSAFS Vice President Amy Friedrichsen on 16 April.

 

During the salu-salo, Ambassador Reyes introduced Senate President Villar, who spoke warmly of the hospitality shown him and the rest of the delegation by the Filipino community in Cape Town.  The Ambassador likewise introduced former Speaker de Venecia, who thanked the hosts for the dinner and looked forward to more interaction with the Filipinos in South Africa.  END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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