Page 22 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL6

vigorously promote Philippine tourism in the hope that more of you will visit the Philippines. I believe that much of the success of the ASEAN Community rests on understanding and accepting our basic cultural differences. If we understand and accept each other for who we are, the rest will fall into place. It will becomeeasier for us to achieve the goals of the political-security and economic pillars of our community.What have been your accom- plishments so far as an ambassador? I usually let others speak of my accomplishments based on what they see as the outcome of my efforts.“If we understand and accept each other for who we are, the rest will fall into place. It will become easier for us to achieve the goals of the political-security and economic pillars of our community”But since you ask, so far I have held the first major Philippine fair on Philippine costumes and textiles by the Philippine Embassy at Zen Department Store at Central- World. We also opened the first Office of the Philippine Honorary Consul in Chiang Mai, with consular jurisdiction over the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Phrae and Nan. We also succeeded in the unprecedented expansion of the coverage of the embassy’s mobile consular programme to include provinces with Filipinos that have never been visited by Philippine consular officials before. The provinces include Lampang, Lamphun, Phayao, Uttaradit, Mae Hong Son, Nan and Phrae.Also, if you happen to pass by the embassy, you would see that we have transformed the perimeter wall into one huge advertising material for Phil- ippine tourism and culture.How is the Philippines preparing for the AEC?20 Elite+