Philippines promotes diplomacy initiatives in Geneva

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines promoted the country’s economic diplomacy initiatives, culture and tradition in Geneva, Switzerland.

The traditional Filipino filigree tambourine jewelry took the spotlight in the lecture series titled “Business Class” and organized by the Philippine Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), held recently at the Philippine Missions Building in Geneva.

Filigree jewelry consists of fine wires and strips of valuable metal, intricately woven and curled to form stunning patterns and designs.

In this lecture, the Philippine mission aims to show the nexus of promoting economic diplomacy initiatives of the country, and at the same time, promoting Philippine culture and tradition.

Paolo Tañada Palanca, founder of Kaya Mana Philippines and a guest lecturer of the Ateneo de Manila University-Department of Sociology, as the resource speaker, illustrated to the audience composed of the mission’s employees and diplomats how he championed the revival of the dying craft of creating traditional Filipino filigree tambourine jewelry, and the empowerment of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

The lecture also underscored the broader significance of the creative industries in supporting inclusive economic growth. The revival of traditional crafts like filigree jewelry illustrates the untapped potential of the Philippine creative economy to contribute to exports, innovation and sustainable livelihoods.

As hubs of creativity, cultural identity and entrepreneurship, the creative industries offer promising pathways for MSMEs to engage in both domestic and global markets, particularly through digital platforms.

In his remarks, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO Manuel Teehankee said that “Kaya Mana Philippines is a testament to the power of cultural preservation and economic empowerment.”

“It assisted in elevating the local communities, especially in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, by empowering MSMEs. This pledge to promote MSMEs is most congruent with the Philippines’ WTO priority of promoting inclusive economic growth and international trade.”

At the international level, he said the Philippines was at the forefront of the WTO’s MSME initiative, which seeks to create new avenues where MSMEs, including women-led companies, are able to take advantage of cross-border and digital trade. MSMEs serve as the backbone of the Philippine economy accounting for 99.5 percent of all registered businesses.

The Kaya Mana jewelry were also part of the exhibition during the commemoration of the 127th Philippine Independence Day in Geneva, Switzerland, the Manila Fame and Likhang HABI Market Fair.

To further raise awareness about traditional Filipino filigree jewelry, Kaya Mana is diversifying its crafts through the creation of charm jewelry, bracelets, cuff links among others, to appeal more to the younger generations and keep this tradition alive.