Philippines Small Business

[David Ogden]

One of the many connections between the UK and the Philippines are the people-to-people links.  The 250,000 strong Filipino community in the UK is an obvious one.   A smaller - but to me very significant - community are the more than 250 Chevening alumni in the Philippines - talented Filipinos from different walks of life who have studied in the UK since 1984 under the British Government's flagship scholarship programme.  

The British Embassy in Manila welcomed seven new members to this group on 25 August, when I held a reception at my Residence to send off this year's batch of scholars.   It was a relaxed and friendly occasion, and in the best tradition of the Philippines there were literally hundreds of photos taken.  There's a small selection here, and a lot more on the Embassy's Facebook page.

 

This year's Chevening scholars are an impressive and dynamic group of young Filipinos from different parts of the country and different professions.  Benedict Carandang, Anna Opong, Irwin Lopez, Melissa Guerrero, Monchi Roderos, Aaron Lecciones and Karen Hipol come from business, politics, civil society, government and the creative arts.  

They'll be going to top universities in London, Liverpool, Cambridge and Birmingham to undertake master's degrees in courses as diverse as disaster management, public health planning  and bioscience.  As well as benefitting from a globally renowned British education, they can also expect to see our country at its very best, as we celebrate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee next year, followed by the London Olympics and Paralaympics.  

What all our scholars have in common is a determination to expand their knowledge and professional skills, and to come back and put them to practical use in support of the Philippines' economic and social development.   Based on the experience of previous Chevening scholars and fellows, I'm also confident that they will return as firm friends of the United Kingdom, and advocates for even closer relations between Britain and this important Emerging Power in South-East Asia.  

 

Read more...

Source: Stephen Lillie, Manila
Ambassador