19 October 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to China Erlinda F. Basilio led Philippine Embassy personnel as the Philippines successfully participated in the "Love Knows No Borders – to Pay Tribute to Rural Teachers in Yunnan Province" annual International Charity Sale held at the Outdoor Warm-up Square of the National Stadium (Birds’ Nest) on October 11. This year’s charity bazaar was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China under the chairmanship of Mme. Qian Wei, wife of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, together with the Beijing Municipal Commission and the Beijing Foreign Affairs Office.

A total of RMB 20,100 (approx. US$3,200) was turned over by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to the organizers at the close of the bazaar.

The Philippine Embassy joined about 70 embassies, representative offices of international organizations and state-owned enterprises in China in this year’s charity bazaar, the proceeds of which were earmarked for the sponsorship of rural teachers in Jinping and Malipo Counties in Yunnan Province in southwest China.

After the opening ceremony, Foreign Minister Wang Yi together with Mme. Qian Wei came by the Philippine Embassy booth and thanked Ambassador Basilio and the Embassy for their support for the charity bazaar.

Varied Philippine products were featured in the Philippine booth, such as basi and nilak wines,exquisite Philippine handicrafts such as evening bags, jewelry, coin purses, luncheon sets made of abaca and capiz, and many other finely crafted Philippine products.

As in the previous years, proven best-sellers at the Embassy booth were the Philippine dried mangoes, the colorful native pamaypay or abanico made of buri and the Philippine hot chocolate prepared by the Embassy using pure Batangas cacao tableas which were cooked to a thick chocolate drink typical in the Philippines, and was popular with locals and expats alike on a chilly autumn day in Beijing. END