ANTALYA 04 March 2023 – The Philippine Embassy in Ankara launched its first “Itanong Kay Amba'' program and Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting led by Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. on 03 March 2024 at DoubleTree by Hilton Antalya City Centre.
Photo: Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. (center), Madame Ann Mariza N. Sanchez-Bensurto (left of center), and Embassy personnel with the Filipino community in Antalya
Ambassador Bensurto, also joined by his wife, Madame Ann Mariza N. Sanchez-Bensurto, introduced the Spark*Connect*Empower movement as one of his thrusts as the new Ambassador of the Philippines in Türkiye. The Spark*Connect*Empower movement is related to the Bagong Pilipinas campaign launched by the Philippine government as a call for transformational change in the country and as a master plan for genuine development for the people.
“I come here with a sense of vision. I want to spark and reignite that love and passion for your heritage and culture. We are diverse in different backgrounds, but we are one in being Filipino. I also refer to the young so when they grow up, they will appreciate their heritage as both Filipino and Turkish, and they will be the bridge between the two countries,” Ambassador Bensurto said.
Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto Jr. (5-R) with the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Lebanon team and the Filipino applicants at the Consular Mission in Antalya (Embassy photo).
The Spark*Connect*Empower movement was first launched in the USA when the Ambassador was the Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. Its objectives are to spark love and passion among all Filipinos (including those of Filipino lineage)—both at home and abroad—about their Filipino culture and heritage, connect them with one another, and empower them as individuals and as a community in the process.
“When you have that love and compassion, you will be able to connect to your heritage, to the people back home, and with your community here. And when you are connected, you are empowered as an individual and a community. You have to be proud as a Filipino. Enjoy and be happy being Filipinos. This will be our battle cry – Pinay ako, taas noo, Pinoy ako, proud ako,” the Ambassador added.
The hybrid event, which included Embassy personnel and the team from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and OWWA Lebanon, was attended by almost 30 Filipinos in Antalya and streamed live on the Embassy’s official Facebook page.
The Ambassador also announced the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Philippines-Türkiye diplomatic relations and the Embassy’s planned activities to mark the milestone events, the 126th Philippine Independence Day and a separate activity for the Filipino community to celebrate their Philippine heritage this year.
Photos: The Philippine Embassy consular team providing consular services to Filipinos (Embassy Photos)
Ambassador Bensurto had an engaging dialogue with the Filipino community members in Antalya who had questions on various topics including marriage and divorce, overseas voting, and consular services, particularly the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 (R.A. 9225).
The Philippine Embassy in Ankara conducted its first consular mission for the year in Antalya to reach out to the Filipinos in the province and provide consular services. They were joined by a team from the Migrant Workers Office in Lebanon that rendered labor and OWWA services for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Antalya. END.
