06 April 2016 – In celebration of the National Women’s Month, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Wilfredo C. Santos hosted a luncheon at the Official Residence on April 02 for a select number of notable and respectable Filipinas in Qatar, together with Dr. Samar Mohamed Hassona A. Aboulsoud, Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Council for Health Practitioners under the Supreme Council of Health.

The guests included Ms. Maui Florida, owner of Kamayan Restaurant; Ms. Ailyn Agonia, journalist of Qatar Tribune; Dr. Veronica Macaraeg, a private practice physician and former Chairperson of the Filipino Medical Association-Qatar (FMAQ); Ms. Layla Bernal, owner of Eve’s Catering; Ms. Maria Imelda Enrile, a photojournalist for Balitang Q; Ms. Minda Obeidat, administrator of Pinoy Ads Qatar; Ms. Ley Pascual, publisher of Desert Riders Magazine; Ms. Marisol Reyes treasurer of the United Filipino Organizations in Qatar (UFOQ); and Atty. Daisy Tingzon, member of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine School – Doha.

Ambassador Santos was also joined by Deputy Head of Mission Gonaranao B. Musor and his wife, Mrs. Shayma G. Carim-Musor, a pharmacist consultant with a government-owned rehabilitation center, as well as Vice Consul Kristine F. Bautista.

In line with this year’s theme “Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda” that echoes the long sought-after aspiration of women for gender-balance in leadership opportunities, Ambassador Santos cited as an example the tradition of female leaders in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“We have been lucky and honored in the Philippine Foreign Service to have had produced many firsts for our female Ambassadors - the first Filipina Ambassador to an Arab country, the first Filipina Muslim Career Ambassador, the first female Asian Consul General in Saudi Arabia, and the first female Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Of course, we should also not forget the fact that the Philippines has produced two female presidents already,” Ambassador Santos said.  END