04 December 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Vienna conducted a full-day seminar on women empowerment on November 22 in line with RA 9710, otherwise known as Magna Carta on Women. The Seminar was attended by Filipinas working as private staff of diplomatic mission officials based in Vienna, women leaders of Filipino community organizations in Austria and the women personnel of the Embassy.
In her opening remarks through video, Philippine Ambassador to Austria Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, who was on an official mission to Manila during the event, paid tribute to the Filipinas working in Austria highlighting their immeasurable contributions to the Austrian society as nurses, health care personnel, household staff and UN personnel Ambassador Yparraguirre further highlighted the number one rank of the Philippines among Asia Pacific countries in reducing gender inequalities in terms of economic participation and opportunity for the last 6 years based on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index (GGI).
The two-phased Seminar focused on acquiring knowledge (Phase 1) and skills upgrading (Phase 2).
For Phase 1, resource persons included Ms. Cynthia Lamban, Officer in Charge, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) Milan, Ms. Brigitte Mahor, Representative of Pag-IBIG Fund in Milan and Social Security System (SSS) Senior Vice President Judy Frances See, who focused on the benefits from membership in Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Pag-IBIG and SSS, respectively.
On Austrian labor and family related policies, the resource persons included Honorary Consul Thomas Hohenberg, Ms. Klaudia Rottenschlager, Consultant of LEFÖ (Beratung, Bildung und Begleitung fur Migrantinen), an Austrian Intervention Centre on Trafficked Women, and Ms. Carmen Pacaigue, President, Babylan Austria. Both LEFÖ and Babaylan Austria have been continuing partners of the Embassy in addressing various Assistance to Nationals (ATN) cases.
For Phase 2, Ritz Carlton Vienna provided an afternoon of training on service and entertaining which included tray service, plate service, wine serving, fine dining gala menu as well as table setting, cleaning and polishing cutleries. Ritz Carlton also shared its Credo in extending its trademark on finest personal service to its guests. END