DFA Gathers Cultural Experts in First-Ever Cultural Partners Consultation

Cultural workers from various government and private sectors were gathered by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the two-day Cultural Partners Consultation Conference held at the Manila Diamond Hotel on 06 to 07 November 2019. The conference is the first of its kind to be organized by the DFA in pursuit of a more inclusive and effective cultural diplomacy plan for the coming years. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

MANILA 29 November 2019 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) gathered about a hundred of the Philippines’ culture and art experts, academics, and practitioners in its first-ever Cultural Partners Consultation Conference held at the Manila Diamond Hotel on 06 to 07 November 2019.

“All of us in this room, including our foreign guests, know that the Philippines has a compelling cultural story to tell… we also realize (that) but we have not been able to put our act together to bring not only a whole-of-government approach to our cultural diplomacy programs but more importantly, the whole-of-nation approach on this ambitious and noble project,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and Research Eduardo Martin R. Meñez said in his opening remarks.

The Cultural Partners Consultation Conference, an initiative of the Cultural Diplomacy Division of the Office of Strategic Communications and Research of the DFA, is a two-day conference that aimed to learn from and consult the country’s movers and shakers in the field of culture and arts. The outcome of the discussions will be harnessed to ultimately contribute to the strategic, efficient and effective cultural diplomacy efforts of the Department which will be implemented through its 88 Foreign Service Posts all across the globe.

“In a globalized and heavily contested world, we need a systematic and strategic approach to use cultural diplomacy or soft power to further Philippine national interests – economic and national security interests, Filipino nationals abroad and the well-being of the nation.  We need to wisely exercise our soft power, our cultural and competitive edge, to buy us the time and space we need to narrow the gap between us and more powerful nations,” underscored Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto C. Abella in his speech.

(From left to right) Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and Research Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto C. Abella, and Director Khrystina Corpuz-Popov of the Cultural Diplomacy Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

As the importance of cultural diplomacy was highlighted, the event sought to provide a structured approach to how the invited cultural partners can start and sustain the conversation and collaboration in pursuit of one goal—the promotion of the culture of the Philippines.

The two-day conference was packed with panel discussions from invited cultural experts.

The first day set the tone of the discussion as various personalities gave the big picture on the state of Philippine culture. Academics Felipe De Leon, Jr., Prof. Steven PC Fernandez, Fr. Eliseo Mercado, and Dr. Roberto Kalugdan discussed the Philippine cultural framework while Chief Specialist Jazmin D. Berido of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as well as Deputy Director Regina Mercedes Cruz of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) spoke on the provisions on culture with regard to the Philippine Development Plan 2022.

Participants eagerly listen in the panel discussion on the Philippine cultural framework by esteemed academics (from left to right) Felipe De Leon, Jr., Prof. Steven PC Fernandez, Fr. Eliseo Mercado, and Dr. Roberto Kalugdan. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

It was followed by presentations from Atty. Roberto Mabalot, Trade Officer of the Department of Trade, Vice Chairman Chris Millado of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Mr. Jo Andrew Torlao International Affairs-Head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Dr. Rene Escalante Chairman of the National Historical Council of the Philippines (NHCP), Mr. Bobby Orillaneda Senior Museum Researcher of the National Museum, Executive Director Victorino Mapa Manalo of the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP), and Ms. Mary Anne Luis, Head of the  International Affairs Department  of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), who talked about their respective agencies’ mandate and endeavors to promote Philippine culture.

(From left to right) Atty. Roberto B. Mabalot, JR. of the Department of Trade,  Fr. Eliseo Mercado, OMI, former president of the Notre Dame University(Mindanao Affairs expert), Ms. Regina Mercedes C. Cruz, Deputy Director, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and Research Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto C. Abella, Ms.Jazmin D. Berido, Chief Economic Development Specialist National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Prof. Steven P.C. Fernandez, Director-Culture and Arts Studies Center MSU Iligan Institue of Technology, and Dr. Roberto G. Kalugdan artist from Ifugao. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

The final presentation for the first day saw representatives from private organizations such as Ms. Maria Karina Bolasco of Ateneo de Manila University Press, Ms. Kirstin Dinah Pinto of Para sa Sining, Ms. Marilyn Montano of the Animation Council of the Philippines, Ms. Clang Garcia of Culinary Heritage and Tourism, Mr. Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan of Fringe Manila, and Ms. Esme Palaganas of Fashion Design Council of the Philippines talking about what their organizations do that contribute to the promotion of Philippine culture.

Participants were able to take with them the discussions from day one of the conference and juxtapose those information with those provided by invited foreign counterparts who shared the best practices on cultural diplomacy efforts of their countries on the second day of the conference. Ms. Tomoko Nakamura of the Japan Foundation, Mr. Jean-Pierre Dumont of Alliance Française, and Mr. Matt Keener of the Embassy of the United States of America shared their countries’ respective efforts in promoting their culture to the Philippines, which, the participants were eager to listen to and comment on.

(From left to right) Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and Research Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, Mr. Jean-Pierre Dumont of Alliance Francaise, Ms. Tomoko Nakamura of the Japan Foundation, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto C. Abella, and Mr. Matt Keener of the Embassy of the United States of America. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

The presentations provided a jump-off point for a healthy question and answer portion and discussion on what the Philippines has already been doing and what else can be done to improve on the efforts in terms of cultural diplomacy.

Towards the end of the second day of the conference, the participants were split into groups for a workshop session that illustrated how each of their respective organizations can contribute to a comprehensive cultural diplomacy plan.

Director Khrystina Corpuz-Popov of the Cultural Diplomacy Division of the DFA facilitated the discussion of one of the groups during the workshop. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

Director Khrystina Corpuz-Popov of the DFA mentioned that it was truly challenging to get all the participants’ brilliant ideas into one consolidated plan but getting the conversation started was already an achievement in itself.

The two-day conference concluded on a good note, with both the organizers and the invited cultural stakeholders agreeing that the event opened up the channels for a better cooperation between the various agencies and organizations. A follow-up consultation was proposed to be done early next year. END