PH Embassy in Belgium Ends ASEAN Brussels Committee Chairmanship with a High Note

The ASEAN Heads of Mission with Brussels PE’s support team at the conclusion of the ABC meeting held at the Chancery’s Bulwagan ng mga Pangulo on 25 June 2020. (Brussels PE photo)

BRUSSELS 29 June 2020 — The Philippine Embassy in Brussels concluded its Chairmanship of the ASEAN Brussels Committee (ABC) in a meeting held at the Chancery on 25 June 2020. The chairmanship covered the period from January to June 2020 and rotates every six months among the heads of the ASEAN diplomatic missions in Brussels.

The Philippine chairmanship of the ABC by Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega has been a unique experience as over half  of it covered the period of the unprecedented lockdown due to COVID-19. Consequently, the Embassy arranged the first ever videoconference meeting of the  ABC on 28 May 2020 to enable the ASEAN Heads of Missions to continue working on their common concerns such as developments in ASEAN-EU relations, updates on cooperation and trade agreements and the EU-led response to the pandemic.

Present during the meeting were Brunei Darussalam Ambassador Abu Sufian Haji Ali,  Cambodian Ambassador NOM Piseth, Indonesian Ambassador Yuri Octavian Thamrin, Lao Ambassador Phoukhong Sisoulath, Malaysian Chargè d’ Affaires a.i. Mme. Prisheela Prakas, Myanmar Ambassador Soe Lynn Han, Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam, Thai Ambassador Manasvi Srisodapol, and  Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Anh Quang.

At the face to face meeting, due consideration was given to social distancing measures. Ambassador de Vega thanked the ASEAN Heads of Mission for their cooperation and active participation during his chairmanship as he handed over the ABC chairperson’s gavel to Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam. A Plaque of Recognition was also presented to Indonesian Ambassador Yuri Octavian Thamrin who is ending his tour of duty in Belgium at the end of the month.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Embassy also arranged a special program to make the ABC chairmanship turnover ceremony more meaningful and memorable, featuring the Embassy’s very own soprano singer, Ms. Mary Madeleine Denopra, and Cultural Officer Liza Jane Estalilla as piano accompanist, who gave a rendition of “Pilipinas Kong Mahal”, followed by “Singapura Oh Singapura” in honor of the incoming Chairmanship, and finally the ASEAN Hymn, marking the end of the successful ABC Chairmanship by the Philippines despite the challenges of the pandemic and ensuing confinement measures.

“It has been a pleasure to serve as your Chairman. Not even the COVID-19 virus can break our bond. This is the ASEAN Way,” Ambassador de Vega stated simply as he concluded the meeting. END

Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega holds his last meeting as Chairperson of the ASEAN Brussels Committee (ABC) at the Chancery’s Bulwagan ng Mga Pangulo on 25 June 2020. (Brussels PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Beligum Eduardo José A. de Vega hands over the ABC chairperson’s gavel to his successor, Ambassador Jaya Ratnam of Singapore. (Brussels PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega presenting the Plaque of Recognition to Ambassador Yuri Octavian Thamrin of Indonesia who is ending his tour of duty in Belgium on 03 July 2020. (Brussels PE photo)

The ASEAN Brussels Committee (ABC) Members in the their ASEAN solidarity pose cum social distancing. (Brussels PE photo)

For more information, visit  https://www.brusselspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBelgium/.