Month: March 2022

PASAY CITY, 01 March 2022 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirms that 13 Filipinos from Ukraine departed Warsaw Chopin airport via Emirates flight EK 2023 and are arriving in Manila tonight at around 2135H.

The group was part of 40 evacuees who left Kyiv for Lviv and was welcomed by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. at the Poland border.

The Philippine Embassy in Warsaw facilitated their travel and flight documents, as well as their stay in a hotel in Warsaw. While all the repatriation expenses, including transport expenses from Kyiv to Warsaw, food and accommodation in Lviv and Warsaw, RT-PCR test, and airfare to Manila were shouldered by the DFA’s Assistance-to-Nationals fund.

Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs

On 1 March 2022, a 30-year-old Singaporean, Han Jie (“Han”) was convicted of an offence under the Section 157(1) of the Companies Act (Chapter 50, 2006 Revised Edition), for failing to exercise reasonable diligence in the discharge of his duties as a company director. He was sentenced to a fine of $2,000 (in default five days’ imprisonment) and disqualified from being a company director for one year.

Between October 2020 and March 2021, the Commercial Affairs Department received information that the bank account of Geh International Pte. Ltd. (“Geh International”) received a total sum of USD 364,980.10 from fraud perpetrated against multiple overseas-based victims. In addition, Geh International’s bank account was also named as the intended beneficiary of an attempted fraud involving a sum of USD 9,934.50.

Investigations showed that Han is a director of Leftright Corporate Pte. Ltd., which provides corporate secretarial services. Han assisted in the incorporation of Geh International and was appointed as the company’s resident director.

After opening Geh International’s bank account, Han ceded control of the bank account to an unverified person based overseas and failed to exercise reasonable diligence over the affairs of the company during the term of his directorship. This resulted in Geh International’s bank account being used to receive and transfer proceeds derived from fraud.

Any person who commits a breach of Section 157(1) of the Companies Act shall be guilty of an offence punishable under Section 157(3)(b) of the same Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of up to $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months. Upon conviction, the offender may also be disqualified from being a director under Section 154 of the Companies Act.

The Police takes a serious view of the offence and will not relent in taking tough enforcement action against offenders. Individuals should not be a director of a company when they have limited or no control or oversight of the company, as the company may be used to facilitate illicit activities such as the laundering of criminal proceeds. Company directors who fail to exercise reasonable diligence in the discharge of their duties as directors run the risk of allowing their companies to facilitate the retention of benefits derived from criminal conduct.

Source: Singapore Police Force

ABU DHABI — UAE officials praised the Philippines for its very strong presence at the World Expo 2020 Dubai as the Philippines celebrated National Day at the Expo on 11 February 2022.

UAE’s Foreign Minister, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, conveyed to the Special Envoy and Personal Representative of President Rodrigo Duterte to the World Expo, Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje, that the Philippines “is very well represented” at the largest World’s Fair ever.

A day-long series of festivities marked the occasion with Philippine flag hoisting at both the Philippine Pavilion and the Al Wasl, (the world’s largest 360 projection dome), a colorfully-choreographed national day parade at the Avenue of Nations, food festival, and a one-of-a-kind gala performance.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez led a 140-member Philippine contingent composed of high-level officials from the Philippines. The UAE delegation led by UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh met with the delegation at the Expo’s Leadership Pavilion. The two delegations noted the great strides made in deepening bilateral ties over 48 years since the establishment of Ph-UAE diplomatic relations. Sec. Lopez and Min. Al Sayegh noted great opportunities in expanding areas of cooperation, specially as the two countries achieved consensus on the PH-UAE Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) and the PH-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

The day was capped by a stunning all-original production gala musical entitled “Daluyong ng Diwa” (Tides of Our Soul). The hour-long performance complemented the essence and design of the Philippines Pavilion called Bangkóta or coral reef with its vibrant, masterful, and lyrical portrayal of the Bangkota’s main theme of cultural sustainability.

Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn M. Quintana received feedbacks citing the show as “easily one of the best that the Expo has seen” since it started in October 2021. She also said that the Filipinos are appreciating the disciplined, highly-synchronized messaging and new, modern narratives being conveyed by the Philippines all throughout its participation at the Expo. “The Dubai Expo has given the Philippines a platform for the world to see Filipinos in a new light, how our geography and history shaped our resilience, resourcefulness and positive attitude, from our ancient seafaring forefathers, to the modern, talented Filipino professionals seen everywhere in the UAE and around the world,” said the Ambassador.

“Until now, people are still talking about the “Daluyong ng Diwa” masterpiece that really showed the impeccable artistry of the Filipinos, truly world-class and top Expo-quality,” added Ambassador Quintana. It was produced by a stellar team of creatives headed by Bart Guingona and a cast top-billed by Bayang Barrios. The audience were mesmerized by the music, dances, and digital art elements of the show. One veteran Filipino journalist quipped that the Filipino community did not know nor expect that the Philippine Organizing Committee was preparing to surprise them with the staging of a grand musical with deep messages.

The show was held before a full-capacity audience at the Jubilee Stage, the biggest performance venue in the whole of Expo, with a capacity of 8,000 people. A video of H.E. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was shown during the program where he praised the UAE for its successful hosting of World Expo Dubai, and exhorted Filipinos in the UAE to continue bringing honor to the Philippines.

Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs