Philippine Embassy Meets with Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan City Officials, to Seek Closer Ties
Left side: Members of the Philippine Delegation at the Cabinet of Ministers conference room, Government of Tatarsan. Left to right: Attaché Arneil Torres, 3rd Secretary and Vice Consul Catherine F. Alpay, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Robert O. Ferrer, Jr. (Head of Delegation), Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Colonel Rhojun Rosales, Attaché Ceferino Caldez. Right side: First Deputy Prime Minister Nigmatullin Rustam (2nd Members of the Philippine Delegation from right), Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry German Lerner (right), and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Representative Mr. Radik Vakhitov (Members of the Philippine Delegation 2nd from left). (Official photo from Government of Tatarstan portal)
MOSCOW, 02 November 2021 – Philippine Embassy in Moscow Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim Robert O. Ferrer, Jr., accompanied by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Catherine F. Alpay, Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Rhojun Rosales, and Attachés Arneil Torres and Ceferino Caldez met with First Deputy Prime Minister of TatarstanNigmatullin Rustam at the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kazan on 22 October 2021.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the possibilities of cooperation in the areas of technological innovation, Halal trade, training of Filipino medical students, tourism cooperation, and entry of highly-skilled Filipino technical workers in Tatarstan’s oil and gas industry.
Deputy Prime Minister Rustam warmly welcomed the delegation, and expressed hope that future visits will continue. Likewise, CDA Ferrer invited Tatarstan officials to consider trading with the Bangsamoro autonomous region of the Philippines, through coordination with the Mindanao Development Authority. Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Rosales also promised to work for official visits of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Kazan, as the region hosts military-industrial complexes, including the Kazan Helicopter Plant (manufacturer of Mil Mi-8 helicopters) and Kamaz trucks manufacturing facilities.
The Philippine Embassy officials likewise met with members of the Kazan Executive Committee to discuss prospects for cooperation in tourism, sports and culture, and education opportunities for Filipino students. The possibility of a sister-city relationship with a Philippine City was also considered, as well as Philippine participation in Kazan annual cultural events such as the Sabantuy folk festival, as well as sports events.
The Embassy likewise established ties with Sergey Ivanov, Chairman of the State Committee on Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan, and with Mr. Dmitriy Shevelev, Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan.
On 23 October 2021, taking advantage of their presence in the City, the Team rendered Consular services to a number of Filipinos living in Kazan. After they concluded the services, the group was welcomed to the Kazan Kremlin by the Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Office of the Mayor of Kazan, Ruslan Galiakhmetov. END
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Official welcome committee send by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of The Autonomous Region of Tatarstan. (Photo by Ceferino Caldez)
First Deputy Prime Minister Nigmatullin Rustam warmly welcomed the Philippine Delegation at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting. (Photo Courtesy of Col. Rhojun Rosales)
Members of the Philippine Delegation at the Cabinet of Ministers conference room, Government of Tatarsan (Left to right: Attaché Arneil Torres, 3rdSecretary and Vice Consul Catherine F. Alpay, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Robert O. Ferrer, Jr. (Head of Delegation), Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Colonel Rhojun Rosales, Attaché Ceferino Caldez. (Official photo from Government of Tatarstan portal)
First Deputy Prime Minister Nigmatullin Rustam (2nd Members of the Philippine Delegatio from right), Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry German Lerner (right), and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Representative Mr. Radik Vakhitov (Members of the Philippine Delegation 2nd from left). (Official photo from Government of Tatarstan portal)
Members of the Philippine Delegation teach the Tatars the ASEAN handshake. (Photo courtesy of Col. Rhojun Rosales)
Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Rhojun Rosales speaking on the attractiveness of Kazan and Tatarstan as a potential source of Philippine defense and security equipment, at the meeting with the Kazan Executive Committee.
Ms. Daria Sannikova (2nd from left), Director, Kazan Committee for Tourism, and other Committee representatives at the Kazan City Hall. The group welcomed the Philippine Delegation on behalf of Mayor Ilsur Metshin. (Official photo from Kazan government portal)
Philippine Delegation being briefed by Ms. Taliya Minullina (right), Chief Executive Officer of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency (TIDA).
Mr. Sergey Ivanov (center, right), Chairman of the State Committee on Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan and his colleagues invite Filipinos to enjoy the tourist attractions of Tatarstan.