ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City has made a good impression on Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to the Philippines Maria Christina Theresia Derckx, who for the third time, visited this highly-urbanized city the whole day on Friday.
In an interview, Derckx said she wanted “very much to stroll through the city”. She came to Iloilo as a private person during her second visit.
“I’m also very much wanted to know the leadership of the city because I am very impressed by the way the city is run; what has happened to the river, how you have managed to clean everything up and make the river really an active part of the city, which I understand (is) the longest walking way in the Philippines,” she said.
She lauded the city government’s efforts to “create public space for people to go out and enjoy”.
“And I think in that sense, Iloilo is really an example for the country,” she added.
Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa, in welcoming the Dutch envoy meantime, expressed how amazed he was with the various museums he visited when he got the chance to visit The Netherlands.
Espinosa said that while Iloilo City has also made efforts in establishing museums, the latest would be the Museum of Economic History just adjacent to the city hall.
He also informed the envoy that Iloilo hosted the Dutch honorary vice-consul in 1921, the year when the International Container Port Complex was then the second largest international port in the Philippines.
While the Philippines and The Netherlands mark their 67th year of diplomatic relations this year, Derckx said that the two countries have in fact “even have 150 years of consular affairs”.
“It indicates how much trade has been going on through the years and how much movement of people between our countries. Actually, half of (our) national fleet is sailed by Filipino people and people of Iloilo are sailing our boats,” she said.
She added that her country is one of the three major investors in the Philippines and major companies from there are already present in the Philippines.
“Very rich relationship ,” she added.
The ambassador visited in Iloilo upon the invitation of the One Meal Foundation headed by Teresa “Nene” Chan.
In an interview, she said that each time she brings them to Iloilo, the purpose is to “bring Iloilo to the map of the world”.
“I want to be able to open the doors of the city to ambassadors in the hope that they can help,” Chan said.
Also, she invited them to see her foundation that focuses on education. She revealed that her foundation has been a recipient of the support from ambassadors.
“I’m hoping that more of the other countries will be able to give us help in education, exchange students,” she added. Her foundation has been producing 90 scholars a year aside from establishing classrooms and libraries.
Joining the ambassador during the visit was her husband Mr Sjef Ijzermans. (Perla Lena/PNA)
