Filipino American food’s past and future, its role in diplomacy, and restaurants in the US capital serving Filipino cuisine took center stage at a symposium held at the Philippine Embassy in commemoration of Filipino American History and Archives Month.

Filipinos are the second largest Asian Pacific Islander group in Washington state. This year, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) established “1946: A Turning Point” as its theme, marking the 70th anniversary of the 1946 laws that brought us the Filipino American community that we know today.

According to Taiwan Ambassador Gary Song-Huann Lin, Taiwan’s newly implemented southbound policy urges not only better trade relations with the Philippines, but an improved cultural exchange that would dramatically increase two-way tourism numbers.

The Philippine Embassy in Doha marked a milestone in the field of cultural diplomacy with yesterday’s official opening of Sentro Rizal - a learning centre for Philippine arts and culture which is the second to be opened in the MENA region. [...] Hundreds of students from two Philippine schools in Qatar are set to benefit from the newly opened centre.

As the leading first aid provider and educator in the country, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will mark the celebration of World First Aid Day (WFAD) on September 10 with a lecture and demonstration on basic first aid for children. [...] The activity aims to engage and educate children, together with their parents, on emergency preparedness and basic first aid. 

Art has always been a great way to connect people from different countries and cultures. [...] It transcends borders, language, race, and cultures. The past week was a testament to that as 13 Filipino artists visited Malaysia through ArtDialogo, an initiative that proves to be the beginning of yet another opportunity for cultural exchange in the Southeast Asian region.

The ruling by the tribunal in the Philippines vs. Chinaarbitration case is no doubt a major setback to Chinese diplomacy. No matter how people evaluate the quality and impartiality of the ruling, [...] it will not only damage China’s image and soft power, but will greatly inhibit China’s claims to territory and maritime rights in the South China Sea, and the consequences will be far reaching. 

The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto capped its month-long commemoration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence this year with a series of events focused on food in the context of Philippine culture. These events were aimed at boosting the growing interest in Toronto, known for its gastronomic diversity, on the tastes and flavors of Philippine cuisine.