Sa ikaapatnapu’t siyam na pagkakataon, ginanap ang taunang Consular Ball ng Consular Corps of the Philippines sa Makati City Sabado ng gabi.
Aabot sa humigit kumulang pitong daang miyembro ng diplomatic community mula sa iba’t ibang bansa ang dumalo sa engrandeng okasyon na isinasagawa bago matapos ang taon.
Sa kabila raw ng glitz and glamour outfits ng mga delagado sa naturang social event ay ang layuning palakasin ang mga ugnayan at kooperasyon ng mga bansa para maisakatuparan ang mga diplomatic initiatives ng Consular Corps sa iba’t ibang rehiyon, ayon kay Agnes Huibonhoa, chairman ng 49th Annual Consular Ball at secretary-general ng Consular Corps of the Philippines.
“The reason for this Ball is camaraderie, to put friends together. We want to have mutual understanding between friends, mutual initiatives for government officials… they’re here to support whatever is needed [by] the Philippine government,” sabi ni Huibonhoa.
“This is the culmination of the events that we have gathered all throughout the year… we are a bridge between the embassies and the Philippine government. And we expect to be a catalyst in these activities so that there will be a closer relationship [between] the embassies and the Philippine government,” ayon naman kay Jesus Pineda Jr., 2024 dean of the Consular Corps of the Philippines.
Present sa event ang ilang ambassadors mula sa iba’t ibang bansa kabilang na ang US ambassador na ikatlong beses na raw dumalo sa naturang pagtitipon.
Binigyang diin niya ang mas pinaigting na ugnayan sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at US.
“In 2024, we processed more visas than at any time in US-Philippine relations, I don’t mean since the pandemic, I mean ever. Those are connections so that people can travel between our two countries whether to live, work, visit family, go to Disney, whatever they want to do,” sabi ni MaryKay Carlson, US Ambassador to the Philippines.
“We also have record numbers of Americans who are living, working in the Philippines, 700,000 Americans at least, live here. It’s more than in Japan and [South] Korea combined, two of our other big allies in the region,” dagdag pa ni Carlson.
Binigyang parangal din ng Consular Corps ang ilang natatanging diplomatic dignitaries at ahensya ng pamahalaan kabilang ang Department of Tourism na tinanggap ng mismong secretary na si Christina Garcia Frasco.
Napuno ng sayawan at raffle ang pagtitipon na nagsisilbi rin daw maagang selebrasyon ng Kapaskuhan para sa lahat ng dumalong miyembro ng diplomatic community. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
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