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UP COLLEGE OF NURSING VISITS MYANMAR, EXPLORES COLLABORATION

22 January 2016 - The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Nursing represented by Dr. Lourdes Tejero, Dean and Assistant Professor Vanessa Maderal, undertook an exploratory visit to Myanmar from January 18 to 21.

The team, accompanied by Career Minister Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo, met with officials from the Ministry of Health, Myanmar Nursing and Midwifery Council, Mandalay Hospital Association, University of Nursing-Yangon, University of Nursing-Mandalay, and University of Public Health, to discuss possible collaboration with the University of the Philippines-College of Nursing. The team also had fruitful discussions with officials from international organizations – World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Nippon Foundation.

On January 19, Dr. Tejero and Assistant Professor Maderal called on Philippine Ambassador to Myanmar Alex G. Chua at the Philippine Embassy.

The Ambassador expressed hope that the exploratory visit will result to meaningful exchanges and collaboration in the health sector between the Philippines and Myanmar. Such collaboration, he said, is important to strengthen relations between the Philippines and Myanmar which is celebrating 60 years of bilateral relations this year. 

In 1989, the Philippines and Myanmar collaborated in designing Myanmar’s nursing curriculum.

PHL CONSULATE GENERAL IN MANADO ORGANIZES WORKSHOP ON BASIC COUNSELLING TECHNIQUES

04 November 2015- The Philippine Consulate General in Manado held a Gender and Development (GAD) workshop, entitled “Workshop on Basic Counselling Techniques,” on October 24 at the Consulate General’s Conference Room for personnel of the Consulate General, the Philippine Liaison Officer to the Philippine-Indonesian Border Committee, Filipino teachers of Manado Independent School (MIS); Officers from Siloam Hospital Manado; and other guests.

Ms. Robin Vendelin, a Licensed Mental Health Counsellor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and her husband, Mr. John Vendelin, a former paramedic, founders of “Binding Up Broken Hearts (BUBH),” a non-profit organization based in the United States, facilitated the workshop. They are currently on a working visit in Manado in partnership with Yayasan Compassion First Indonesia, an organization which runs a shelter for trafficked children.

In her opening remarks, GAD Focal Point Officer, Ms. Maria Cecilia P. Wenceslao, expressed Manado PCG’s commitment to GAD initiatives and activities and warmly welcomed the two resource speakers.

The workshop began with a presentation, entitled “ABC+D Crises Intervention: Helping People through the Worst of Times,” where the speakers stressed the importance of non-verbal communication and discussed non-verbal cues or body language of a person in distress.

In the second half of the workshop, participants engaged in practical exercises in counselling techniques, guided by the facilitators.

In his closing remarks, Consul General Oscar Orcine noted that to handle sensitive situations, we need to have empathy and put ourselves in the shoes of the distressed person. He said that he was pleased that the workshop added more knowledge and insight relevant to the kind of work done by the Consulate General. In his speech, he also briefly reflected on the motto of North Sulawesi, “Si Tou Timou Tumou Tou,” which means "Men live to help others live."    

In addition to the workshop, the Consulate General was able to conduct overseas registration for six new registrants.

PHL CONSULATE GENERAL IN HONG KONG TRAINED ON ASSISTING VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

26 November 2015 - The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR recently concluded a two-day professional training on gender sensitivity, self-protection and assisting victims of sexual violence to Post’s personnel, especially those handling frontline services. 

The training was conducted on November 12 and 19 by Ms. Janice Chan, Ethnic Minority and Migrant Worker Project Officer of RainLily, Hong Kong's first one-stop crisis center for the protection of sexual violence victims.

The first day of the training focused on the concept of sexual violence under Hong Kong law—statistics and myths, and gender-sensitive ways to handle victims. The second day was dedicated to self-defense, including principles and demonstration of practical ways to repel an attacker under certain circumstances.

The professional training is the third project organized under the auspices of the Consulate General’s Gender and Development (GAD) program for 2015.