H.E. DOMINGO P. NOLASCO
Philippine Ambassador to Italy
Nov. 27, 2015
Rome, Italy
1. Philippine-Italian diplomatic relations started in 1947. So in two years, we will be celebrating 70th Euro diplomatic relations…. It will … with Italy. We had a lot of cooperation in the field of science and technology, defense cooperation dati. And then we are now working on how to revitalize our relations with Italy especially in the field of mutual agreements on legal matters. Also on cooperation on how to help the development of our small and medium-scale industry. Italy and the Philippines also have a close cooperation in the international issues especially with respect to mutual support in candidatures in the United Nations.
The Filipino Community in Italy I think one of the largest in the Eurozone. As of July 2015, they were already 171, 000 Filipinos with working permits in Italy. So, we have very close people-to- people relationship. Many of the Filipinos, who are staying and working in Italy, they had a very high, good reputations as industrious workers, dedicated and law-abiding residents of this county.
2. For us, we are trying to expand also the market of Philippine products. As you know, last year the Philippines was given the GSP plus status by the European Union wherein 6,000 plus products of the Philippines can now enter the European Union with no duties.
We are given the privileged, many of our products in the Philippines can now enter the European Union including Italy with zero or very reduced tariff rates.
I don’t have the specifics. It’s about 6,000 plus products. It’s called the GSP plus.
3. We are very glad that the Italian government has acceded to our request for the, our request for our head of state President Benigno S. Aquino III to meet His Excellency President Sergio Mattarella. This is very important for our diplomatic relations because it gives impetus to further strengthen our foreign relations.
So we are hope that during this visit, we will be able to strengthen further our foreign relations. So the President is having a meeting with President Mattarella. He is also meeting with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. And the other activity of the president here, it could be… he will meet with the Filipino community. This is very important for the President the Filipino community so that he will be able to personally connect with them and explain to them what were the achievements of the administration that have a direct effect on… especially on the Filipinos overseas.
4. As of July 2015, according to the figures of the Ministry of Interior of Italy, there were already 171,000 Filipinos with work permit. So that the Filipino residents are spread out throughout Italy. The concentration of Filipinos is on the northern part, mainly around the Milan area, and then, second here in the Rome area. The profile is about, with respect with the profile of the community, 80% are in the service sector, the rest are the religious persons, the rest are dependents and the rest are the youth. So that’s the profile of the community
5. They are excited to meet the President because this is the first time that for a long time. The President is meeting the Filipino community in Italy, in Rome. So we extended the invitations to Filipinos all over Italy throughout the honorary consul that we have around Italy plus through the different organizations.
We don’t have an umbrella organization or federations here but I can cite an organization that is actively and engaging with us especially in the celebration of the National Independence Day in June. We have an organization here that coordinates the holding the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day among the Filipino communities.
The latest figures of the statistics showed that many of the Filipinos coming here in the last two years are composed of family members who are joining their families here because this country has a very liberal integration policy, the family reunification. So many of the entrance now are either children or relatives of those who are residents already here. I see that one of the problems is the language barrier. Many of them cannot easily integrate or live here because of the language barrier.
The recent flow of the Filipinos to Italy is composed of family members who are joining their relatives here. According to the statistics of our Department of Labor, there are not many workers coming here.
The problem with the integration as I said with respect to the language barrier, we encouraged those who are coming here to at least know the language. Another problem that I also see among the Filipino communities is that many of the youth Filipinos are not anymore able to speak our language and many of them are not aware of our culture. So whenever had a chance to speak with the community or with the groups of kababayan, I always encourage them not to forget to speak with their children in our native language. Kasi sayang kung minsan, nakakalungkot sa may mga aplikante dito hindi maintindihan ng mga youth pati ‘yung ating lingguwahe at kultura.
So in the embassy, what we are doing is, we are trying to convert this to Centro Rizal where we can have resources here and we also have a weekly program to teach our culture and many organizations that have already committed to us to help us reach out with them.
One of the main problems now is the, with respect to the youth unemployment, we have a very high youth unemployment. Recently, we have the two seminars here with the cooperation of Filipino organizations wherein we are reaching out to the youth because there is a program under the European Youth Guarantee Program so that they will be put in a database so that they may have a chance either to get employment or an internship because the youth employment among the communities is very high.
6. You know I’m here only for eight months. Number one is we are improving and we are still improving our services. So, we are improving our services so that when they are applying for passport or other consular documents, it will take them the minimum number of time that they will be here. Before when I came here, they were only releasing documents at certain hours of the day now we are releasing documents during office hours.
7. Another program of the embassy also is our outreach program. Every other week, our team of consular staff, they go out of Rome to render consular service for two days in one of the cities or places within our jurisdiction. This will help a lot our community because it will spare them from taking time out of their working schedule and save them expenses in going to Rome just to get consular services. When I say consular services, it refers to passports, authentication of documents and registration of birth and marriages. So, that’s our program with respect to the consular services.
8. During the visit of the President, we also expect to sign an air services agreement with Italy. The air services agreement, I hope that it will further increase the tourism to the Philippines. We are trying are best to encourage the Italians to go to the Philippines. And one of the problems is that we don’t have a direct flight from Rome to the Philippines. So many of them are passing through other capitals instead of going to us.
I hope with the signing of Air Services Agreement, we’ll be able also to increase the trade of goods that have to be delivered in the shortest possible time with the direct air services. Plus also the, I hope also that with the signing of the air services, we’ll be able to give our kababayan more competitive rates in going back to the
Philippines.
9. This year 2015, is also very important with respect to our cultural relations with Italy. You know for the, we have participated in the Venice Art Biennale. It was with the efforts of the DFA, the NCCA and the office of Senator Legarda, wherein the Philippines has a pavilion at the Venice Biennale. This is also one way for us to show to that the Filipinos are capable or also excellent in other skills. And also next year, we will be participating in the Venice Architecture Biennale. We will again have a pavilion where we will be able to show how we where able to apply architecture to better the lives, to improve the lives of our Filipino kababayan. And how we were able to use architecture in addressing the rehabilitation of the areas that were destroyed by the calamities.
10. For the visit, again, we are honoured that the President and the delegation will be able to meet the Filipino Community here. For us, it will, it is also a challenge especially in the DFA, in the foreign service and that we have to do more to improve our relationship with Italy kasi sayang ‘yung goodwill natin dito. A lot of the Italians, they speak highly of Filipinos as industrious workers or kasama nila sa bahay. And then this is also a good chance for us to project that the Philippines can do more or we have other skills that we can offer. The visit is also a good chance so that it gives focus to the Philippines that kahit malayo tayo, in terms of distance, we share a lot with the Italian society.
Most of us share the same religion even the culture is similar. We are warm people. With respect to the visit naman, it’s an impetus for us to do more. For us it’s a challenge na matagal ng hindi nag-meet yung dalawang heads of state natin. Sana mapaigting pa natin ‘yung relasyon natin sa Italia. We have a lot of things in common. And mapa-increase pa natin yung pagpapasok ng mga produkto dito na galing na sa atin kasi ‘yung mga ibang mga kalapit-bansa natin marami silang na-i-export dito.
11. Again, nagpapasalamat din po ako kasi pinagbigyan tayo ng mga opisyales ng Italia na ma-meet ‘yung ating Presidente. Kasi they value, we have a lot of goodwill dito sa side na ito.
Sa mga Filipino communities naman lagi kong sinasabi na huwag nyong kalimutang kausapin yung mga anak nyo at turuan kung ako ano yung kultura natin kasi kahit saan tayo pumunta meron tayong pagka-Pilipino na hindi natin maaano, maalis. Nalulungkot lang ako kasi yung mga ibang ano natin, kababayan hindi na ano, hindi na kinakausap or sinasabihan man lang. So, for the part of the embassy, kami we will try to help them in programs para hindi nila makalimutan yung ating kultura at yung pagka-Pilipino.
Isang malaking paraan rin kung paano natin maaano, is that ‘yung sabi ko sa mga kababayan natin even sa bahay kung kasama nila, sa mga employer nila na sila ang ating ambassadors of goodwill, sabi ko nga hikayatin nating pumunta sa atin para makilala nila kung paano tayo mamuhay at yung magagandang tanawin sa atin. Isang paraan din ito para ma-increase ‘yung tourism.
And I quote again our national hero, si Dr. Jose Rizal, na iyong taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan. Kasi karamihan sa mga kababayan natin dito, one way or another gusto pa ring bumalik. Ang nakakalungkot minsan e yung mga anak nila ay hindi na naiintindihan yung kultura, hindi na maka-connect sa parents. So, communication is very important din.
Yung mga gustong pumunta, like nagrekomenda kami dun sa mga agencies na ipaliwanag lang sa kanila ‘yung economic situation dito kasi karamihan akala madaling kumuha ng trabaho. Akala pagdating dito makakakuha na agad but ‘yung number one barrier nga is yung language. Hindi sila maintindihan plus ‘yung labor market ay nagiging competitive na.
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