PHL Embassy in Ankara Conducts Consular Mission, Engages in a Community Building Activity in Istanbul
Top left photo: Consular team rendering e-passport services to a baby (photo courtesy of Mr. Cristopher Baguya); Top right photo: Filipinos in Istanbul filling up forms for various consular matters (photo courtesy of Mr. Alvin Alvizo); Bottom photo: Participants to the game “Pagdiriwang ng Wikang Pambansa” form the theme of the activity (photo courtesy of Ms. Nadjefah Mangondaya).
08 September 2017 — A team from the Philippine Embassy in Ankara conducted a consular mission, had a cultural immersion and celebrated Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa from August 26 to 28 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The team provided consular services to more than 200 Filipinos. The team processed 63 e-passport applications and 9 extensions, 18 SPA/acknowledgements, 2 reports of birth, 2 NBI applications, 1 report of marriage and 1 LCCM. Post received 51 applications for Embassy ID registrations of Filipinos in Turkey and released 63 e-passports and 30 Embassy IDs. The team also addressed various inquiries.
Post celebrated Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa 2017 with the theme “Pagdiriwang ng Wikang Pambansa Filipino: Wikang Mapagbago” through a game called “Salitang Filipino, Pagdugtungin Mo.” The game’s aim is to raise awareness of Philippine culture and language in Turkey and highlight the importance of the Filipino language among our Kababayans in Istanbul.
Pre-determined words were drawn from a box and around 40 participants interacted with one another to form coherent sentences. The game was judged by leaders of the various Filipino groups in Istanbul including the Filipino Community in Istanbul, the Filipino Community in Turkey, the Filipino Medical Team in Istanbul and the Duterte Diehard Supporters.
The team also visited the historical Galata Tower in the Karaköy quarter of Istanbul. Constructed by the Genoese colony in 1348, the tower was built as part of the defensive wall surrounding the Galata district opposite ancient Constantinople. It was also used by the Byzantines for the surveillance of the harbor in the Golden Horn. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Mehmet the Conqueror, the tower was used to detect fires in the city. In succeeding years and under different sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the tower was also used as a prison, an astrological tower and observatory.
For more information, visit www.ankarape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTurkey. END