September 14, 2004
Ambassador Ricciardone visits Cebu Sept. 1-3
Ambassador Francis Ricciardone talks to a mother who brought
her children to the USAID-funded Well Family Midwife Clinic in Talisay
City on September 3. Aside from meeting the staff and patients of the
clinic during his three-day visit to Cebu, the Ambassador also launched
a photo exhibit and attended a jazz concert, both of which were sponsored
by the U.S. Embassy, and met with local government and business leaders.
The Ambassador spent the evening of the first day of his
visit in a dinner meeting with Cebu’s local political leaders
and leading journalists at Marriott Hotel on September 1. Among those
in the table with him are (l-r, on the Ambassador’s side of the
table): Eileen Mangubat, Cebu Daily News publisher; Lapu-Lapu City Mayor
Arturo Radaza; and Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez.
Ambassador Ricciardone poses with the members the Cebu
American Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors with whom he had a breakfast
meeting on September 2.
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(Left:) Ambassador Ricciardone presents to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn
Garcia a box bearing the U.S. Embassy seal as the two exchanged
gifts during the Ambassador’s courtesy call on the Governor
on September 2. (Below:) During the call at Governor’s
office, the Ambassador also met Cebu Representative Antonio
Cuenco (right) and former Cebu Governor Pablo Garcia (second,
right).
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(Above:) The Ambassador, together with (l-r:) SM Vice President
for Marketing Marissa Fernan, Paolo Garcia of Ford-Cebu, Cebu
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and Cebu Arts Council Petite Garcia,
cuts the ribbon at the September 2 opening of American Roadside
Architecture photo exhibit in SM Cebu. (Left:) Young expats
view the exhibit. The exhibit, which is free for the public,
will be on display until September 24. It will be shown at SM
Davao from October 2 to 22.
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(Above:) The Ambassador delivers remarks on U.S.-Philippines
relations during the luncheon meeting of the Cebu Rotary Club
on September 2. (Below:) As U.S. State Department – Kennedy
Center Jazz Ambassadors, the Chicago Jazz Quartet holds a night
concert in SM Cebu on September 2. The concert was preceded
by a cocktail reception at SM Cebu hosted by Ms. Marissa Fernan,
SM Cebu’s Senior Vice President for Operations.
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After a visit to the USAID-assisted Well Family Midwife
Clinic in Talisay, Cebu, in the morning of September 3, the Ambassador
met with the province’s civic leaders to discuss the global problem
of human trafficking. In the meeting held at the Aboitiz Shipping Company
terminal in the Port of Cebu, (l-r:) Aboitiz Transportation System Corporation-Cebu
President RamoVillordon Jr., Visayan Forum Foundation President Cecilia
Flores-Oebanda, and Cebu Diocese Spokesperson Monsignor Dakkay shared
with the Ambassador local experience and efforts in fighting human trafficking.
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