Consulate General of the Philippines Frankfurt

FRANKFURT PCG HOLDS WEBINAR ON POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG SERVICES

Atty. Delmer Cruz, Labor Attaché, POLO (topleft), Ms. Sylvia Gabriel, Welfare Officer, OWWA (top right), Ms. Mary Jessielyn Sia, SSS Representative (bottom left) and Ms. Mylene Lontoc-Pintor, Pag-IBIG Representative (bottom right) served as resource speakers during the Consulate’s webinar on POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG Services.

26 October 2020, Frankfurt – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt conducted last 24 October a webinar on POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG Services. The webinar is the third online event of the Consulate for members of the Filipino-German community in its jurisdiction.

In her welcome remarks, Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia extended her warmest greetings to the resource speakers and participants for spending their Saturday morning to participate in the webinar. She noted that the coronavirus has affected Filipinos everywhere especially the Overseas Filipino Workers. For those who have decided to weather the pandemic in Germany, the Consulate is committed to supporting and assisting our kababayans, Consul General Austria-Garcia underscored.

Consul General Austria-Garcia added that a seminar on the same topic was initially planned to be held last June as part of the Consulate’s Barrio Fiesta event for the annual commemoration of Philippine Independence but was cancelled due to the German Government’s Covid-19 restrictions. Last year’s seminar was held on-site at the newly-opened office of the Consulate in Frankfurt.

Pictured above are Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia (above) and Consul Rogelio Villanueva, Jr. (below), as they participate in the Consulate’s webinar.

Representatives from POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG served as the resource speakers. Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz discussed the mandate of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). As the operating unit of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) abroad, the POLO is guided by its twin objectives of implementing the country’s labor policies and programs to facilitate employment and protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of Filipinos working abroad. He discussed POLO’s special programs to help OFWs cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and provided tips to OFWs who intend to travel to the Philippines for vacation.

Ms. Sylvia Gabriel, Welfare Officer, delivered a presentation on the various services offered by OWWA to its members. She encouraged OFWs in Germany to register or update their membership with the OWWA to ensure full coverage and assistance. She also spoke about OWWA’s reintegration program and collaboration with other government agencies to provide livelihood assistance to returning OFWs especially those displaced by the pandemic. Both the POLO and OWWA are located in the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

The presentation on SSS services was delivered by Ms. Mary Jessielyn Sia of the SSS Representative Office in Milan, Italy. Ms. Sia expounded on the contributions, benefits and loans for overseas Filipinos in the country’s pension fund and its efforts to make services more accessible through online platforms. Members can now apply for loans through the My.SSS Portal and pay their contributions through the online payment facility of Rewire, Ms. Sia added. With seven benefits available to members, contributions to the SSS should be seen as long-term savings and not an expense, she said.

The fourth speaker of the webinar was Ms. Mylene Lontoc-Pintor, Member Services Officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund Overseas Post in Milan, Italy. She informed everyone that Pag-IBIG is offering promo rates for regular housing loans until the end of the year. She endeavored to correct the view that the Pag-IBIG Fund is solely for housing loans. Ms. Lontoc-Pintor said that Pag-IBIG provides an excellent investment opportunity through its Regular Savings and MP2 program which offered significantly higher dividends at 6.73% and 7.23%, respectively, in 2019. Through the Virtual Pag-IBIG, application for membership, loans and records check as well as payment of contributions are now easier, added Ms. Lontoc-Pintor.

The webinar was capped with a question-and-answer session, as viewers were able to post their questions through the FB’s comments section.  The activity was held via Zoom and simultaneously streamed live in the Consulate’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PHinFrankfurt/, where it may still be viewed by interested parties.  Eighty-three attendees viewed the live proceedings and a video recording of the webinar has been shared 43 times and seen over 3,500 times in just 24 hours.

For the months of November and December 2020, the Consulate shall be conducting a webinar on “Livelihood Programs of DTI, DOLE and DA” as well as virtual “Christmas Performance” to celebrate the upcoming holidays, respectively. (END)

NBDB HOLDS CULMINATING EVENT AT THE 2020 FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR’s DIGITAL BOOKFEST SPECIAL EDITION

October 2020 – The National Book Development Board (NBDB) held its “Frankfurter Buchmesse- All Together Now Culminating Event at the Philippine Exhibit” last 17 October, where, among other speakers, Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia delivered a message. Also participating was Vice Consul Fatima Mejilla C. Mueller, who represented the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt during the live discussion via Zoom and streamed live on NBDB and Consulate’s Facebook pages.

The Consul General congratulated NBDB and reiterated Consulate’s support in promoting and seeking new markets globally for the work of Filipino authors and Philippine publishers. She also conveyed the Consulate’s commitment to assist the Philippine delegation in the FBF as well as appreciation to Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, who also took part in the online activity, for her patronage of the country’s arts and culture through important global events such as the Book Fair.

NBDB Chair Dante Ang delivered the welcome remarks and apprised viewers of the Board’s efforts and achievements in support of the Philippine publishing industry. He expressed optimism as well that with the switch to e-books and e-commerce, the local publishing industry will increase its sales and continue to grow.

In her remarks, Deputy Speaker Legarda, a staunched advocate of the Philippine participation in the FBF, expressed her continued support to the Philippine publishing industry through “additional funding or in her personal capacity so wider global markets may be reached.” She also reiterated the Philippines’ aspiration to obtain the Country Guest of Honor status in the Fair in the next few years. For his part, Congressman Christopher de Venecia, a convenor of the Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Bloc of the 18th Congress, underscored “the role of books in creativity, technology, trade, education and culture,” and encouraged the local publishing industry “to write and publish the story of the Filipino creative industries.”

Meanwhile, Ambassador Ma. Theresa de Vega recalled last year’s different sessions hosted by the Philippine delegation. She also highlighted developments in the publishing sector among ASEAN countries and expressed satisfaction on “the innovative output from the various sectors of the Philippine publishing industry, including children’s books” this year. The Ambassador hopes that “an even greater number of individuals and publishing companies will be present in the coming editions of the FBF as the Philippines continues to work to become a country of focus in the future.”

During the book launching part of the program, NBDB presented three publishers from different book genres. Mr. Paolo Herras of Komiket spoke of local comics and the expansion of the art market expansion with growing readership in order to sustain the comic art industry. He also presented the finalists for the Call for Entries for Graphic Novels for the Komiket Award for the Philippine International Comics Festival next year. Another guest publisher, Ms. Montenejo presented four titles in the Adarna House’s Batang Katutubo Series, which featured children from the different indigenous groups in the Philippines. These picture books were Gustong Mag-aral ni Sula, Ang Paaralan ni Fuwan, Bahay ng Marami’t Masasayang Tinig and Si Laleng at ang Lakbay Paaralan. Lastly, ABC EDC Publishing House presented renowned children’s book author Ms. Mary Ann Ordinario’s latest work entitled, Home is Where the Heart Lives, a story about making right choices in responding to unfortunate situations and uncertainties.

To complement the NBDB’s efforts in promoting the local publishing industry, the Consulate launched on its social media pages seven children’s e-books/videos which aim to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19. The e-books address topics, such as how children can protect themselves, their families and friends from coronavirus infection and how to manage difficult emotions when confronted with a new and rapidly changing reality. These e-books are published online by Department Human and Family Development Studies (DHFDS) of the College of Human Ecology (CHE) and recommended by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. END