The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa

OMK Embassy of the Philippines in Pretoria South Africa

Welcome to the Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Pretoria. We cover South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

PH, SOUTH AFRICA HELD INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS

Call on DIRCO ACD Thandiwe Fadane

Ambassador Noralyn Jubaira Baja (2^nd from right) with DIRCO Acting Chief Director for Central, South and Southeast Asia Thandiwe Fadane (2^nd from left), Deputy Director for Southeast Asia Phillip Kriel (leftmost) and Philippine Desk Officer Cherease Botha (rightmost)

Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Noralyn Jubaira Baja called on Ms. Thandiwe Fadane who assumed as the Acting Chief Director (ACD) for Central, South and Southeast Asia of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), on 03 December 2024.

As part of the groundwork for the 6^th Philippines-South Africa Bilateral Consultative Forum which the Philippines is set to host in 2025, both sides discussed outstanding bilateral issues in vital sectors such as agriculture, defense, consular cooperation, as well as science, technology and innovation, among others.

Joining the meeting were First Secretary and Consul Maurice A. Tiempo, DIRCO Deputy Director for Southeast Asia Phillip Kriel and Philippine Desk Officer Cherease Botha.

Prior to her new appointment, ACD Fadane served as South Africa’s Consul General in Toronto, Canada.

EMBASSY HOSTS YEAR-END GATHERING WITH THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY

2024 Year end Gathering with Filcom

PRETORIA - More than 200 Filipinos flocked to Pretoria for the year-end gathering which the Embassy of the Philippines in South Africa organized on 1 December 2024 at the Moonshot Cafe in Waterkloof Glen.

The gathering has been an annual tradition of the Embassy which seeks tofoster camaraderie and unity among the members of the vibrant and dynamic Filipino community in South Africa and neighboring countries.

In her remarks, Ambassador Noralyn Jubaira Baja updated the community on the Embassy’s banner activities and initiatives in 2024 such as the transfer of the Chancery to a more suitable property and location, holding of consular outreach missions and town hall meetings within South Africa and neighboring countries, and the conduct of the inaugural Philippine film festival. She reiterated that the Embassy would continue to look for ways to better serve its Filipino constituents and the general public.

Much to the delight of Filipinos, this year’s edition adopted a 1970s theme. Many Filipinos came to the event dressed in stylish attire that took inspiration from the fashion trends of the era.

Foreign spouses, friends and guests of Filipinos also got a taste of how Christmas is celebrated the Filipino way. In true Filipino fashion, guests bonded over food and merrymaking. The program was filled with musical and dance numbers by Filipino groups, parlor games, raffle prizes, and “fun awards” to spread Christmas cheer.

The program was capped by the time-honored exchange of gifts and community singing and dancing to popular 70s music.

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY HOSTS INAUGURAL PHILIPPINE FILM FESTIVAL

2024 Film Fest1

Group photo of Embassy officials and guests after the screening of the documentary The Woman Behind the Tattoo Artist

Philippine cinema took the spotlight during the inaugural Philippine Film Festival (PFF) which the Embassy of the Philippines in Pretoria organized from 26 to 29 November 2024 at the Embassy conference room.

With the theme Pelikula: A Celebration of Philippine Cinema, the flagship cultural activity sought to (1) tap into the potent power of film diplomacy to introduce the Philippines and its culture to the South African people; and (2) foster greater awareness of the South African people on the Philippines’ vibrant film culture.

For the duration of the event, the Embassy held one-time screenings of the following carefully curated Filipino films: (1) Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (Goyo: The Young General) by Jerrold Tarog; (2) Insiang by the late Philippine National Artist for Film Catalino “Lino” Brocka; (3) Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok (The Woman Behind the Tattoo Artist) by Lauren Sevilla Faustino; and (4) Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap (The Colors of Forgotten Dreams) by Jose Javier Reyes.

The event brought together a diverse group of attendees such as students, academics, diplomats, friends of the Embassy, as well as members of the Filipino community.

Before each screening, First Secretary and Consul Maurice Tiempo provided the context to help attendees better understand and appreciate the featured films. For instance, in his introduction of Insiang and The Colors of Forgotten Dreams, he highlighted the Philippines’ strong cinematic traditions of social realism and melodrama.

A simple salo-salo (buffet) of Filipino delicacies complemented the visual feast enjoyed by the audience.

Guests interact and enjoy Filipino food after each screening

The event was made possible through the valuable support of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) under its Philippine Embassies Assistance Program, as well as TBA Studios (producer of Goyo).

The Embassy also received generous funding support from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Cultural Diplomacy for the event.

Reflecting on the successful outcome of the film festival, Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Noralyn Jubaira Baja remarked “The PFF offered a special platform for the Embassy to showcase, share and honor the country’s diverse and rich cinematic cultures to the host country and its people. Film has the transformative power to enhance cultural and people-to-people understanding between the Philippines and South Africa.”