When women are gathered, mountains move. This was on full display during a luncheon I attended, hosted by the French Ambassador to the Philippines, H.E. Marie Fontanel, in honor of the visit of Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
The visit of Secretary General Descôtes was ushered in by the inaugural flight of Air France’s Paris-Manila route on December 7, 2024. This improved connectivity reinforces the already enhanced partnership between our nations in defense and maritime cooperation, environmental protection and climate action, energy transition, and cultural diplomacy.
But it was the intimate gathering of women from diverse sectors that carried the most impact. Also in attendance were Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Energy Undersecretary Sharon Garin, MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan, and DFA Assistant Secretary Lenna Eileen de Dios-Sison. We shared our visions for deeper collaboration, focusing on our initiatives leading to the 2025 UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France, and the Philippines’ ratification to the High Seas Treaty: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction.
We also confronted pressing issues, including the bureaucratic hurdles faced by French Plastic Odyssey during its visit in the Philipines, hindering their mission to promote plastic recycling and sustainability initiatives in the country. This representation is resolute in addressing any potential exploitation within government processes, ensuring that efforts toward environmental sustainability are met with support, not resistance.
The luncheon was more than a conversation, it was a call to action that embodied the shared commitment of the Philippines and France to build stronger and more sustainable bilateral ties.
