PH Embassy in Portugal Celebrates 2023 International Women's Month with Women's Fair and Film Screening of "Ekstra"

LISBON 17 March 2023 – The Philippine Embassy in Portugal marked International Women's Month with a special edition of its regular Linggo sa Embaixada on 12 March 2023. The celebration was led by Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria, and was attended by members of the Filipino Community.

The event was opened by Ambassador Feria who, in her brief remarks, honored the talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of Filipino women in Lisbon. The audience was treated with testimonials from successful Filipina entrepreneurs in Portugal, namely, Mabille Tamala, Lorna Sioson Roni, Anita Rosete, Ann Javier, Raquel Amistad, and Queennie Guzman. They shared their first-hand experiences, challenges they faced, and how they overcame them to become successful entrepreneurs in their own right.   

To empower more women members of the Filipino community, the Philippine Embassy also invited as guest speaker Ms. June Bolneo, a Filipina based in Portugal and CEO of Work Remote. Ms. Bolneo shared her experiences leading the remote working revolution in Portugal and encouraged members of the Filipino community to seek opportunities available through remote work. 

The event ended with a film screening of the movie, Ekstra, starring Ms. Vilma Santos who gave a special video message to the Lisbon audience to honor all Filipino women in Lisbon.  The movie tells the story of a mother who works as a movie extra, showing her experiences and the trials and tribulations that movie extras go through in the entertainment industry. In her brief remarks, Ambassador Feria said that the film also serves as a “reminder of the remarkable strength, resilience, and determination of women, showcasing how they persist in the face of adversity and continue to shine", 

The film screening at the Philippine Embassy was also an extension of the recently held 43rd Fantasporto Film Festival in Porto, Portugal, where two Filipino films competed, and a retrospective of 10 Filipino films produced by Mr. Ferdinand Lapuz were screened, including Ekstra. This indie film was directed by award winning director Jeffrey Jeturian.

The celebration of International Women's Month at the Philippine Embassy was held as part of the regular Linggo sa Embaixada, which provides an opportunity for members of the Filipino Community to avail of the Embassy's consular services on a Sunday once a month. The Embassy always endeavors to honor and celebrate the strength, resilience, and determination of Filipino women through events like these. END