09 November 2016 – Seventy years of Philippine-Cuba relations were commemorated at an intimate cocktail reception hosted by the Cuban Non-Resident Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Ibete Fernandez Hernandez at the Manila Polo Club on November 03.
“Cuba and the Philippines enjoy historical and traditional bonds built on the political will of both governments, commonalities in vision and culture, and shared Spanish influence,” Amb. Fernandez Hernandez said in her opening remarks. She also pointed to the parallel in the national heroes of both countries, Jose Marti of Cuba and Jose Rizal of the Philippines, who were both writers and poets and martyred in their respective fight for independence. She conveyed her government’s recognition of the Philippines’ unwavering support for Cuba in their struggle to end the blockade and acknowledged the role of the PH-Cuba friendship solidarity groups in actively promoting friendship towards Cuba.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo, who was the guest of honor during the reception, congratulated the Ambassador and assured her of the full support of the Department and the Philippine government in her efforts to further strengthen PH-Cuba relations. He noted that the first Filipinos who arrived in Havana were mariners, artisans and church workers. He also recalled how Pinar del Rio, which is Cuba’s tobacco-rich province, was originally known as Nueva Filipinas as a result of the influx of Filipinos who worked in the tobacco fields and that the tobacco leaves that the province is famous for were originally brought over from the Philippines by the Spanish.
Both agreed that bilateral cooperation could be further strengthened in the fields of culture, sports, agriculture, health and biotechnology, where the Philippines and Cuba already engage in mutually beneficial projects. Cuban boxing trainers were hired for the Philippine national boxing team in early 2000 and six Filipino scholars are presently completing their studies in Cuba. Agreements have likewise been penned between Cuban biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and Philippine companies to market affordable Cuban medicine to the Philippines. Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial recently led a delegation of Philippine health officials to Cuba to study its progressive healthcare system and a follow up visit will be conducted in the coming weeks to look into Cuba’s development and production of pharmaceutical products.
Ambassador Fernandez Hernandez, who covers the Philippines from Kuala Lumpur, was in Manila on a 3-day official visit from November 02 to 05, during which she called on Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. and met with senior government officials and the Philippine-Cuba friendship groups. END
