Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso and Cabalen Norway President Nene Puyat handed over on 27 January 2010 about PHP 530,000 to the Carael Elementary School through Campus Crusade for Christ Project Director Art Adriano. The simple ceremony was held right at the temporary shelter in Botolan provided by the Zambales government to the 231 elementary students and their families.

Gerund Encinas, the lone Filipino national serving time in a Norway prison, has been released by the Norwegian police authorities and was repatriated to the Philippines on 07 February 2010 after serving seven of his fourteen-year sentence. With the help of the Philippine Embassy, Gerund earlier submitted a petition to serve only one half of his term.

The Commission on Elections issues its PARTIAL list of approved Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) applications for the May 2010 National Elections. The PARTIAL list of OAV applications may be viewed here.

Dearest Kababayans in Norway, Denmark and Iceland,

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas is pleased to inform all our kababayans that the nominations for the Year 2010 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas are now open.

We look back to remember the past year with a sense of fulfillment and gratitude in our hearts.

While 2009 brought many challenges, it was also a year of many accomplishments. With unity and resolve, the individual efforts of the men and women of the Philippine Foreign Service put together contributed to the collective endeavor of making the Filipino nation stronger and more resilient.

We thank the Lord for all the things He brought into our lives the past 365 days. The challenges He allowed us to encounter have proven once again the resilience of our people and the efficacy of our reforms.

The global recession failed to break our unprecedented record of economic growth in every quarter during our watch. Our economy continued to grow. The size and strength of our domestic economy was supported by OFW-fuelled consumer spending and a massive government commitment to human and physical infrastructure – one that stretched, but did not swamp, public resources.

The Filipino Community in Denmark turned up in regal Filipiniana attire to the get-together with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo organized by the Philippine Embassy at the Hilton Hotel. About 250 leaders and members of the various Filipino associations in Denmark, and even some from the neighboring town of Malmo, Sweden, warmly greeted the President and her delegation to the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 15) which was held in Copenhagen on Dec 16-18.

The Oslo Music Academy under the direction of Drs. Haakon and Martha Smith and the Filipino Christian Church under Pastor John Angeles held a successful concert on 19 December at the Filadelfia Storesalen, for the benefit of the victims of Typhoon Pepeng.