Philippine Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr., Madam Ann Mariza Sachez-Bensurto, together with DFA Undersecretary Antonio A. Morales and Consul General Shirlene C. Mananquil, pose with the Filipino community after the briefing and documentary screening (Istanbul PCG photo).

Istanbul, Turkiye, 18 December 2023 — In a dynamic event that brought together the Filipino Community in the Marmara Region, the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul, in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, successfully organized the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Briefing and screening of the documentary, 'KALAYAAN: Karapatan sa Karagatan,' at Wyndham Grand Istanbul Levent on 17 December 2023.

Philippine Ambassador to Türkiye Henry S. Bensurto, Jr., who is a distinguished expert on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea issue, took center stage and addressed an audience of around 70 Filipino Community (Filcom) leaders, students, and individuals. He briefed the community on recent events concerning the WPS, explained the significance of the landmark Arbitral award, and emphasized the continued importance of asserting the Philippines' lawful rights within its own exclusive economic zone.

The occasion also served as an opportunity to formally introduce Ambassador Bensurto to the Filipino Community in the Marmara region.

The event was part of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo) celebration and exemplified the collaborative efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate in Istanbul to raise awareness within the Filipino Community about the nation's stance on the West Philippine Sea issue. END

Clockwise: Consul General Shirlene C. Mananquil calls on DFA Undersecretary Antonio A. Morales; Vice Consul Maika Ros B. Fontelera acts as emcee throughout the program; Consul Rachel Anne L. Prince moderates the Q&A segment (Istanbul PCG photos). 

Philippine Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. addresses the Filipino community in the Marmara region (Istanbul PCG photo). 

Officials and Filipino community watch the documentary, ‘KALAYAAN: Karapatan sa Karagatan' (Istanbul PCG Photo)

For more information, please contact:

The Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.