Breaking barriers, creating communities

Veteran Spanish journalist and writer Jose Rodriguez?launched his sixth book, Breaking Barriers, Creating Communities (Southeast Asia and ASEAN:?An Introduction) at the Writers?Bar in Raffles Hotel, Makati?City.

The book, written in cooperation with Filipino journalist? Virgilio Galvez, presents basic?information on the geographical, historical, and present-day ?landscapes of the region and?is intended to help efforts to raise awareness and understanding of Southeast Asia and

Rustan Commercial Corp. chairman emeritus ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr., Pepe Rodriguez, PeopleAsia editor-in-chief and Allure editor Joanne Rae Ramirez with Rustan Commercial Corp. president Donnie Tantoco

ASEAN. Sponsoring the publication and book launch were Global Center of International Studies (GCIS) president Pablo Martinez Echevarria and Asian Union International Center (AUIC) president Francisco Aziz. Congratulations to Pepe Rodriguez for a successful book launch!

Republic of the Marshall Islands opens Philippine honorary consulate

Republic of the Marshall Islands consul Benjie Atilano says that he is proud to play a small part in shaping and in- fluencing the bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and the Marshall Islands and foster closer people to people relations

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has opened its first honorary consulate in Manila. The dedication of its headquarters in Philippine Stock Exchange Centre in Pasig City was attended by the Republic of Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine along with other dignitaries. They were warmly welcomed by the Republic of Marshall Islands consul Benjie Atilano and his wife Kay at an elegant sit-down dinner, cementing an even closer and more productive relationship between the Philippines and the Marshall Islands. Congratulations to the Republic of the Marshall Islands consulate for a successful series of events!

(Seated, from left) Alex Bo- livar, Ingrid Atilano, Connie Garcia, Republic of Marshall Islands consulate chief of staff Kristine Atilano, Leanndra Atilano and Jacque Atilano with (stand- ing, from left) the Republic of Maldives consulate chief of staff Gerrick Hernandez, Republic of the Marshall Islands consulate busi- ness development officer Benpy Atilano, Marshall Islands Maritime Registry deputy commissioner Leo Bolivar, ambassador Victor Garcia, consul Benjie Atilano, Mar- shall Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) secre- tary Bruce Kijiner, Department of Foreign Affairs Asia Pacific (DFA ASPAC) executive director Emilio Fernandez, Taiwanese represen- tative to the Philippines Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin and Consular Corps of the Philippines dean Jor- dan consul Michael Ang