7 July 2022, The Hague – The Philippine Embassy in The Hague launched the book “Philippines-Netherlands Connections @ 70: Reconstructing History and Forging Ahead,” a transcription of the presentations delivered at the webinar held on November 9-10, 2021 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and The Netherlands.
“The book provides a valuable survey of the key aspects of the bilateral relations, from the policy and political to the economic and business, as well as cultural and historical underpinnings,” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya wrote in his Foreword.
The webinar was organized by the Embassy, in partnership with the Embassy of The Netherlands in the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine Foreign Service Institute.
The first chapter “PH-Netherlands/EU Relations: Forging Ahead” contains the remarks delivered by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on the foreign policy priorities of the Philippines vis-à-vis the Netherlands, particularly on re-energizing relations through new areas of cooperation, as well as the message of Netherlands’ Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Paul Huijts on the EU’s Inpdo-Pacific Strategy and its effect on the future of Philippines-Netherlands relations.
It also features the papers presented by key officials of the PH and NL Governments, private organizations and members of the academe who are experts in the fields of political, economic, business and agricultural cooperation, namely Director Karin Mossenlechner (NL MFA Department of Asia and Oceania); Prof. Alvin Ang (Ateneo de Manila University); Mr. Mitchel Smolders (Executive Director, Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines); Mr. Albert Bos (Consul General a.h., Rotterdam); Ms. Mary Ann Sayoc (PH Seed Industry Association); and Mr. Richard van der Maden (Agriterra).
The second chapter “Reconstructing Historical Ties” focuses on the significant role of history in the relations, particularly on people-to-people interaction which began 400 years ago. It presents the papers of noted scholars, namely historian Ambeth Ocampo, Prof. Ruurdje Laarhoven, a Dutch expert on Southeast Asian History, and Mr. Gerard Arp, translator into Dutch of Rizal’s novels “Noli Me Tangere” (Raak Me Niet Aan) and “El Filibusterismo” (De Revolutie: Een Filipijnse Roman).
“As diplomats in the Philippines and in The Netherlands, we are jointly working to create tangible conditions by which our companies and our people can strive in the wide variety of sectors that underpin our relations. It’s a very noble endeavor, and it takes two to tango. It’s only by joining forces that we can succeed as demonstrated by the 70 years that are behind us,” wrote Netherlands Ambassador Saskia De Lang.
The book is a useful reference for diplomatic and government officials, the business, agriculture and other sectors, and all others who are interested in the dynamic relations between the two countries.
The book is the twin resource to an earlier one published last year by the Embassy entitled “Crossroads: A Compendium of Agreements between the Philippines and The Netherlands, 1951 to 2021.”
An e-copy of the book PH-NL Connections can be downloaded here https://bit.ly/3Ox3XJD. // END
