Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap led this year’s first Filipino Community (FilCom) Leaders’ meeting popularly known as Kapihan sa Embassy, at the Philippine Embassy premises on 21 January 2018. Around two hundred forty (240) representatives from various FilCom organizations in Singapore were in attendance. During the meeting, Consul General Victorio Mario M. Dimagiba, Jr. formally introduced Ambassador Yap to the FilCom leaders. In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Yap thanked the community for their support to the activities of the Embassy.

He also emphasized the importance of the FilCom’s active participation and asked for the continued support in this year’s activities, which include the ASEAN Chairmanship of Singapore. He also assured the FilCom that Embassy personnel will continue to find ways to improve the Embassy’s services. He also welcomed any feedback, which he assured, will be acted on accordingly.  The heads of the various sections of the Philippine Embassy also provided updates on the Embassy’s services.

The meeting also coincided with the free legal aid mission conducted by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) – Davao City Chapter, headed by its Chapter President, Atty. Rogelio G. Largo. The first part of the mission was a series of lectures and forum on the Expanded Anti-trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 (R.A. no. 10364), Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2002 (R.A. 9262), and the Family Code Provisions on Marriage, Property and Support. On the last part of the event, the thirty nine (39) lawyer participants conducted free one-on-one legal consultations, where a total of forty (40) OFWs participated.

This is the first legal aid mission conducted by IBP-Davao City Chapter in Singapore.