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Skipping the traditional ASEAN handshake as a precautionary health measure, ACD Heads of Missions led by His Excellency Muhamed Bahrin Abu Bakr, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Qatar and Chair of ACD (fourth from right), together with the Chief Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (man in white Thobe), take a normal pose for a souvenir photo. Philippine Ambassador Alan L. Timbayan is seen second from the left flank. (Photo courtesy of Brunei Darussalam Embassy in Doha)

DOHA 09 September 2020 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Doha (ACD) celebrated this years ASEAN Day on 06 September 2020, marking the 53rdAnniversary of ASEAN since its founding on 08 August 1967.

The celebration was held and hosted by the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam that chairs the ACD.Other members of the ACD are the Embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan L. Timbayan, together with First Secretary and Consul General Roussel R. Reyes, attended the ASEAN Day celebration along with other ACD Heads of Missions and their officials, the Chief Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the local media.

The event was highlighted by the outdoor hoisting of the ASEAN flag and the playing of the ASEAN anthem.

In his remarks, Brunei Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Ambassador Muhamed Bahrin Abu Bakr reflected on the theme Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN in 2020.

He echoed the call of ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi to develop a robust, holistic, and pragmatic post-pandemic recovery framework to mitigate the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the peoples of ASEAN, while it continues to advance regional economic integration.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ambassador Abu Bakr described Qatar as exemplary for successfully managing the COVID-19 health crisis in the country under the leadership of His Highness the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Ambassador Abu Bakr also aptly commended state-run Qatar Airways for its important role and efforts in repatriating hundreds of thousands of displaced and stranded nationalities all over the world at the height of the pandemic.

In closing, Ambassador Abu Bakr expressed optimism for ASEAN as countries outside the region take growing interest in engaging and developing strong cooperation with ASEAN. He said that the ASEAN Committee in Doha or ACD will continue to play its role in promoting ASEANs interest and in forging partnership with the Host Country on various fields.

The ASEAN Day celebration was deferred for a month to coincide with the final phase of lifting of local health restrictions in Qatar. END

During the hoisting of the ASEAN flag and playing of ASEAN anthem. (Photo courtesy of Brunei Darussalam Embassy in Doha)

For more information, visithttps://www.dohape.dfa.gov.phorhttps://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.

Overseas Filipino passengers queue to check-in at the counters of the Philippine Airlines. (Doha PE photo)

DOHA 17 August 2020 The Philippine Embassy in Doha, Qatar mounted another chartered flight on 14 August 2020 via Philippine Airlines (PAL), repatriating 323 overseas Filipino passengers and two infants. The chartered flight included three pregnant women and eight families.

The chartered flight is the sixth chartered flight from Doha funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Thus far, the Philippine Embassy in Doha and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Qatar have already mounted seven chartered flights. Moreover, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also mounted a separate chartered flight on 12 August 2020 for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Since the start of the repatriation program in May 2020, close to 3,000 overseas Filipinos (2,907 adults plus 25 infants) have already been sent home through seven chartered and two special commercial repatriation PAL flights.

The Embassy and POLO jointly worked on these repatriations, pursuant to the One Country Team Approach of the Philippine government.

These flights from Doha were a result of close coordination between the Embassy, POLO, and relevant authorities in Qatar, such as the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, the Hamad International Airport, and Qatar Airways.

These flights were made possible through funding from the DFA and the invaluable support from the DFA, DOLE, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and other entities, including PAL.

The Embassy and POLO stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to those who wish to be repatriated. END

Some of the families at the airport who were included in the Embassys repatriation flight. (Doha PE photo)

Overseas Filipino passengers with PAL cabin and ground crew from inside the aircraft of the Philippine Airlines (Photo courtesy of Philippine Airlines-Qatar Office)

For more information, visithttps://www.dohape.dfa.gov.phorhttps://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.

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#WeHealAsOne
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Overseas Filipino (OF) passengers wait for the check-in counters of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) to open. (Doha PE photo)

DOHA 03 August 2020Before the break for Eidl Adha holidays, the Philippine Embassy in Doha mounted a full repatriation flight of354 Overseas Filipino (OF) passengers and seven infants via a chartered flight of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) on 29 July 2020. The chartered flight included 23 pregnant women and six passengers with medical conditions.

The Embassy officials and personnel were at the airport to see off and assist the repatriates with airport and airline authorities during their check-in.

The mounting of the chartered flight was a result of close coordination between the Embassy/Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and relevant authorities in Qatar, such as the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, the Hamad International Airport, and Qatar Airways.

The chartered flight would not have been made possible without the invaluable support from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and other entities, including PAL.

The Embassy and POLO stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to those who wish to be repatriated. END

Repatriates at the airport who expressed appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for their repatriation assistance. (Doha PE photo)

Overseas Filipino passengers from inside the aircraft of Philippine Airlines (PAL).(Photo credit to one of the passengers)

For more information, visithttps://www.dohape.dfa.gov.phorhttps://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.

#AssistanceToNationals
#WeHealAsOne
#DFAinACTION