Sri Lankan Foreign Minister opens first honorary consulate - The Manila Times

MARKING a significant milestone in its bilateral relations with the Philippines, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Vijitha Hertah ceremonially opened its first Honorary Consulate of Sri Lanka in the country, located in Davao City, on July 25.Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Philippines Chanaka Talpahewa, Attaché/Consular Officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy Chaturi Kaplana, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka to Mindanao William Chen, Rep. Harold Duterte, and Municipal Counselors of Davao City and other government and local officials participated at the event.The inauguration is particularly significant as it was opened as a part of the commemorating activities of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Philippines.Davao City was selected after careful consideration of the growing need to make consular services more accessible to Sri Lankan and Philippine nationals in Mindanao.Beyond its consular role, Davao is an important economic center in the southern Philippines, offering significant opportunities to promote trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and Mindanao.The establishment of the Honorary Consulate reflects the shared commitment of both countries to building an even stronger partnership for the benefit of their peoples in the years ahead.A large number of Sri Lankan nationals and their family members as well as Philippine well-wishers also participated.