First Filipino woman Foreign secretary honored in China

MANILA, Philippines - As the first woman Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and in the ASEAN region from 2003-2004, and as a member of the Planning Committee of the Global Summit of Women, Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert was received by the Vice President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The Global Summit of Women led by its president Irene Natividad celebrated its 20th anniversary in Beijing and Shanghai and had for its theme, “Women at the Forefront of Change.”  It was attended by 1,000 women CEOs and political personalities from 80 countries, including 400 Chinese women entrepreneurs. 

The Summit honored two outstanding Asian women: Dr. Sadako Ogata, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, with the Global Women’s Leadership Award; and Chen Zhili, vice chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and chair of All-China Women’s Federation, with the Women’s Achievement Award. 

It also gave Finland President Tarja Halonen the Summit’s Global Women’s Leadership Award for 2010.

Albert led the panel discussion on “Beijing + 15 and Women’s Economic Future” which assessed the achievements of the Beijing Program of Action.  Albert was cited as an example of the progress made since the Beijing Women’s Conference in China in 1995 for breaking the glass ceiling for women in diplomacy.

The Philippine delegation consisted of Ambassador Isabel Caro-Wilson and Maribel Ongpin.