28 April 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to China Erlinda F. Basilio led the officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing in welcoming to the Chancery on April 17 this year’s participants to the Xavier China Experience (XCE) Beijing Summer Program of Xavier School. The group’s study tour began on March 27 and will end on May 01.
The summer program of the XCE has 30 participants who are incoming Grade 12 students and four teacher-supervisors who are spending five weeks in Beijing in coordination with the XCE Beijing’s partner institution, the Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College. During their five-week program in China, the XCE Summer Program participants are encouraged to obtain an in-depth exposure to public and private Chinese institutions including schools and think tanks, as well as various sectors of Chinese society, such as the media, the youth and the elderly. The group also had field trips in Xi’an and nearby cities during their stay.
They will also be developing their Mandarin language skills as well as attending seminars and reflections with the aim of appreciating China’s rapid development. Towards this end, the group’s itinerary includes visits to some government and private institutions to observe the country and its people, culture, government, businesses and other sectors of society.
In Ambassador Basilio’s welcome remarks, she expressed the hope that the group’s study tour in Beijing in general and their visit to the Embassy in particular will help them better understand how Filipino diplomats work diligently to strengthen Philippines-China ties. Ambassador Basilio encouraged the students to strongly consider a career in the Foreign Service, which she said presents many challenging yet rewarding opportunities and experiences in interacting with the global community and in exploring different cultures while living and working overseas in the conduct of Philippine foreign policy.
During their visit to the Embassy, Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Evangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq conducted a briefing on Philippine-China relations and the work of Team Philippines in China.
A “Career Talk” was also conducted for the XCE participants, focusing on Foreign Service as a career choice to expose the students to a career path outside business and entrepreneurship. Embassy officers including attachés from the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Internal ang Local Government/Philippine National Police shared with the students their insights on a career in the Philippine Foreign Service as well as their experiences as foreign service officers. During the lively interaction and open forum that ensued, the students showed interest in a foreign service career, with questions on the rewards and challenges of the job as well as its hazards. Several of the students later shared with the Embassy officers and staff that, after listening to the Embassy officers talk about their experiences on the job, they are now seriously thinking of the Foreign Service as a career option.
Following the briefing and the career talk, Ambassador and Embassy personnel shared a Pinoy dinner of pancit, adobo and molo soup with the XCE Summer Program participants, who admittedly have been missing Filipino food after three weeks of being away from home. END