Philippines joins fund raising event to help rural teachers in China

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy recently participated in China's "Love Knows No Borders" international charity sale to help the rural teachers in Jinping and Malipo Counties in Yunnan Province.

During the bazaar, the Philippine booth, which featured basi and nilak wines, exquisite Philippine handicrafts such as evening bags, jewelry, coin purses, luncheon sets made of abaca and capiz, and many other finely crafted Philippine products was a crowd favorite, said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement.

Also proven best-sellers at the booth were the Philippine dried mangoes, the colorful native pamaypay or abanico made of buri and the Philippine hot chocolate using pure Batangas cacao tableas which were cooked to a thick chocolate drink typical in the Philippines. The drink was popular among locals and expats alike on a chilly autumn day in Beijing.

Having been a crowd-drawer, a total of RMB 20,100 (approximately US$3,200) was turned over by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to the organizers at the end of the bazaar. The donation will be used to sponsor special position teachers in elementary and middle schools of the aforementioned counties.

The event also hopes to encourage the teachers more in continuing to provide better education to the pupils.

Now on its seventh year, the charity event participated by 70 embassies was staged at the the National Stadium (Birds’ Nest) on October 11, with the initiative of Qian Wei, wife of Foreign Minister Wang Yi.