GOVPH

Embassy Hosts Webinar on Adoption in the Philippines with the National Authority for Child Care (NACC)

The Philippine Embassy in Brussels, Belgium hosted a Webinar on Adoption in the Philippines with the National Authority for Child Care on 10 December 2024.

The webinar follows the successful visit in March 2024 of Assistant Secretary Rowena M. Macalintal, Deputy Executive Director for Services, and Ms. Irene Fagayan, Officer-in-Charge of the Intercountry Adoption Division, when they met with their Belgian counterparts. During the webinar, the NACC officials discussed the process of inter-country adoption and answered the queries of attendees.

Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada, NACC Executive Director, mentioned NACC’s excellent partnership with the central authorities and foreign adoption agencies in Belgium, and discussed NACC's plans for Filipino children adopted abroad, including those already in Belgium.

Embassy Holds Lecture and Discussion on Gender-Based Violence in Observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women

The Embassy of the Philippines in Brussels and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Flanders organized a lecture and discussion on gender-based violence at the Embassy Chancery on 6 December 2024.

The discussions revolved mostly around the psychology behind abuse by intimate partners, which comprise a great majority of non-labor assistance-to-nationals cases reported to the Embassy.

Honorary Consul General for Flanders Ronny de Blaere gave an overview of the reporting process and legal actions involved in domestic abuse, particularly for those who wish to separate from the husband. He noted that for many victims, leaving an abusive spouse is a huge step, and those who provide help to victims should exercise patience until such time that the victims are able to start managing their lives. He also advised potential caregivers to know their boundaries, to protect themselves from psychological stress, and to seek professional and legal help for the victim if the concern is beyond their capacity.

Clinical Psychologist Mario Dekeyser discussed psychological abuse as a power imbalance that stems from an abuser’s need to control. A victim falls into an abuser’s pattern of coercive control — e.g., isolating the victim from friends and family, controlling aspects of the victims’ health and body, limiting access to money, “gaslighting” or manipulating someone into questioning their perception of reality. The victim will probably feel as though the abuse is their own fault. To get out of this “learned helplessness”, a victim has to consider their self-interest and make a choice to stand on their own feet.

Read more: Embassy Holds Lecture and Discussion on Gender-Based Violence in Observance of the 18-Day Campaign...

Call for Applications for EUDiF Diaspora 4 Development (D4D) Grants

The Philippine Embassy in Brussels informs the Filipino communities in Belgium and Luxembourg that the European Union Global Diaspora Facility (EUDiF) is accepting proposals for small scale projects amounting from €25,000 to €60,000 for its Diaspora 4 Development (D4D) grants. The D4D grants aim to promote sustainable development by supporting diaspora-led initiatives in areas of climate, economy, education, and health.

Deadline for the submission of proposals is on 15 January 2025.

Further details can be found on the EUDiF Guidelines for Applications through the following link: https://diasporafordevelopment.eu/library/d4d-grants-guidelines-for-application/

Read more: Call for Applications for EUDiF Diaspora 4 Development (D4D) Grants