GERMANY
Consul General Bids Goodbye to Frankfurt
T
he Philippine by her round of introducG overnment’s tory calls on officials of representative the host city and states in Frankfurt, under the Consulate’s Consul General Evelyn jurisdiction. In addition Austria-Garcia, is bidto establishing relations ding Germany farewell with key public officials, after a productive threeshe also enhanced netyear stint. The veteran works with groups such diplomat led a group of as the ASEAN Heads of consular officials, who Post in Frankfurt, Womre-opened the Philippine en Consul Generals, Inmission in 2018 with ternational Women’s seven federal states unClub, and German-Asian der its jurisdiction. Then Business Circle. On seSenator Loren Legarda, curity-related concerns, who currently serves as the Consulate organized Deputy Speaker in the several fora that were inHouse of Representatended to create awaretives, initiated the move ness of the Philippine to re-establish the consuGovernment’s peace inilar post, citing the city’s tiatives. standing as an economic Upon her arrival, Concenter and the imporsul General Austria-Gartance of better serving cia met with key officials the needs of overseas Consul General Evelyn-Austria-Garcia (right) with Ms. Heike Raab, State of city and state governFilipinos, given its stra- Secretary of Rhineland-Palatinate —PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANKFURT PCG ments, including, Mr. tegic location in Western Eduard Hechler, Director Europe. of International Affairs The Consul General then welcomed the new assign- of the Frankfurt City Government, Ms. Heike Raab, ment, as the region’s relations with the Philippines State Secretary of Rhineland-Palatinate, Dr. Stephan was replete with opportunities in the cultural and eco- Holthoff-Pfortner, Minister for Federal & European nomic realm. Moreover, the challenge of uplifting the Affairs and International Affairs of the State of North well-being of our kababayans persisted, as Southern Rhine Westphalia, Mr. Jurgen Lennartz, State SecreGermany was home to approximately 70 percent of tary of Saarland, Dr. Alfred Ruhrmaier, Chief of Prothe country’s total Filipino-German population. tocol, and Dr. Bernd Foster, Director for International Consul General Austria-Garcia’s duties official- Relations, of the Bavarian State Chancellery. (Photo ly began with the presentation of her credentials in courtesy of Frankfurt PCG) Wiesbaden in November 2018. This would be followed In the people-to-people arena, activities were or-
Foreign Affairs
27