The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya

PH AMBASSADOR TANG CALLS ON KENYAN CABINET SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AND DIASPORA AFFAIRS

(From left) Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Dr. Alfred N. Mutua

NAIROBI, 14 February 2023 – Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, the new Cabinet Secretary (CS) of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MFDA) of Kenya, on 14 February 2023 at the MFDA office in Nairobi.

CS Mutua commended the Philippine Government for having the “best diaspora plan in the world” and reiterated Kenya’s desire to learn from the Philippines on how to better take care of migrant workers.

He added that under the administration of President William Ruto, Kenya hopes to strengthen relations with the Philippines in the areas of trade, tourism, and culture, among others. He cited the forthcoming inaugural meeting of the Philippines-Kenya Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) to be held in Nairobi as an opportunity to deepen the relations.

Amb. Tang, meanwhile, highlighted the many similarities between the Philippines and Kenya, including adherence to democratic values, and expressed the hope for increased cooperation between the two countries in the coming years.

CS Mutua also shared that he is familiar with Philippine icons such as the Banaue Rice Terraces and the Philippine jeepney, the latter which he compared to the Kenyan matatus or colorful minibuses that ply the roads of Nairobi.

The Philippines and Kenya established diplomatic relations in 1967.

PH AMBASSADOR TANG AND KENYAN PERMANENT SECRETARY ON DIASPORA AFFAIRS DISCUSS COOPERATION ON LABOR MIGRATION

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NAIROBI, 13 February 2023 – Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline K. Njogu of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs on 13 February 2023 and discussed labor migration and diaspora engagement.

The Philippines looks forward to sharing its best practices and experiences with Kenya, as both countries seek to better protect the rights and promote the welfare of their respective migrant workers.

PH AMBASSADOR TANG CALLS ON PERMANENT SECRETARY OF KENYAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

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NAIROBI, 10 February 2023 – Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abraham Korir SingOei of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya on 10 February 2023. The two officials discussed areas for possible collaboration, ahead of the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-Kenya Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) to be held in Nairobi later this month.

PH EMBASSY IN NAIROBI COMMEMORATES RIZAL DAY 2022

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Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, Maria Rosanna O. Josue (leftmost) delivers her brief remarks on the observance of the 126^th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal.

NAIROBI, 29 December 2022 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya commemorated the 126th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal through a simple ceremony held on 29 December 2022 at the Embassy grounds.

Reflecting on this year’s theme “Rizal: Alaalang Iningatan, Yaman Ngayon ng Bayan” (“Rizal: Preserved Memories Treasured Today by the Nation”), Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, Maria Rosanna O. Josue gave a brief message that emphasized the importance of knowing and respecting the country’s history. She also stressed that the legacies of heroes such as Dr. Jose Rizal, which contributed to nation-building, must be treasured and must provide an inspiration to all Filipinos, wherever in the world they may be.

Early this year, the Embassy donated English-translated copies of Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to the Kenyan National Library Service (KNLS) to share his life and works with Kenyan readers.

In 1898, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo decreed the designation of the 30^th of December, the anniversary of Rizal’s execution by firing squad in Bagumbayan in Manila in 1896, as a national day of mourning to honor Rizal and other Filipino patriots who resisted the three centuries of Spanish rule. In 1902, the Philippine Commission under the American colonial period passed Act. No. 345, which declared the 30^th of December as an official holiday in the Philippines. Since then, Filipinos annually observe Rizal Day to commemorate the life and legacy of one of the country’s most revered national heroes. END

Nairobi PE personnel started the commemoration of Rizal Day 2022 with a flag-raising ceremony.