SOCIETY 373 / 2018

WOMEN AMBASSADORS
INTERVIEW PHILIPPINES
A long tradition of
gender equality
SOCIETY spoke with the new Ambassador of the Philippines
to Austria, H.E. Maria Cleofe R. Natividad about her vision
to transform the Philippine Embassy as the science diplomacy
center and the strong role of women in the Filipino culture.
You have been Ambassador
of the Philippines to
Austria and Permanent
Representative to the
International Organizations
since January 2018,
what will be the main focus of your
work during your term?
Indeed, I presented my letter of credentials
to Federal President Alexander van
der Bellen at the majestic Hofburg on the
8th of January this year. During the ceremony,
I shared with President van der
Bellen my plans to further enhance the political,
economic, and cultural ties between
the Philippines and Austria. In response,
the President noted the vibrant and wellintegrated
Filipino community in Austria
and recalled the warm friendship between
the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal,
and Ferdinand Blumentritt, an Austrian
teacher in Bohemia.
I mention this conversation with the
President about the meeting of two great
minds – Dr. Rizal and Mr. Blumentritt – because
the main focus of my term as Ambassador
and Permanent Representative to the
various international organizations here in
Vienna is precisely to facilitate such peopleto-people
exchanges, particularly in the science,
technology, engineering, and mathematic
(STEM) fields, between our countries.
With its 100-million strong population, the
Philippines is currently in a demographic
“sweet spot”. The government’s long-term
vision under President Rodrigo R. Duterte,
Ambisyon 2040, sets the policy framework
that could spur this economic growth to
realize the immense potential of our favorable
demographics. The key is educating
the youth and facilitating opportunities in
human capital development, science, technology
and innovation.
My vision is to transform the Philippine
Embassy and Mission as the science diplo-
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