The Philippines has named Corazon A Padiernos, a dedicated women's rights advocate, as its new representative to Taipei, saying she would lead its efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with Taiwan.
In a statement issued late yesterday, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) said Padiernos is to serve as its new chairperson and resident representative.
Photo courtesy of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office
Prior to her appointment, Padiernos had been on the MECO board of directors, overseeing the office's tourism and agriculture sectors, the statement said.
"MECO warmly welcomes Chairperson Padiernos and looks forward to her leadership in further strengthening the partnership and people-to-people ties between the Philippines and Taiwan," said the office, which represents Manila's interests in Taipei in the absence of official diplomatic ties.
Padiernos is known as an "advocate for women's empowerment" and has supported initiatives that promote gender equity through her leadership role at the Zonta Club of De Valle Verde, the Philippines chapter of Zonta International, a global organization of professionals dedicated to empowering women and girls through service and advocacy, the office said.
Padiernos succeeds Cheloy E Velicaria-Garafil, a former press secretary to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who was appointed as head of MECO in October last year.
Last month, Garafil was named as the new secretary-general of the Philippine House of Representatives, succeeding Reginald Velasco.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
RSS