By PR | 09:55 PM March 08, 2024
The province of Bohol strengthened its ties with the United Kingdom (UK) with the official visit of His Majesty’s Consul Neill James.
Board Member Tita Baja, acting governor, welcomed James along with Vice Consul Patricia Monsod and Pro Consul Claudine Santos of the British Embassy Manila when they paid a courtesy call at the Governor’s Office on March 7.
The province is one of several stops in this visit to hold holistic discussions on the concerns and challenges faced by British nationals who are residents or visitors, James explained.
James has a technical dialogue with Anthony Damalerio, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head and other department heads.
Calumpag reported that 662 British nationals transacted with the bureau in 2023, 112 in January 2024 and 94 in February 2024.
Meanwhile, there are 62 British permanent residents in the province since 2023.
The UK is also in the top 10 in foreign market share in Bohol and the top among countries in Northern Europe with 5,268 visitor arrivals last year, according to Kapirig.
“We would love to have more British visitors to Bohol,” James said, observing that compared to other tourist destinations, Bohol’s uniqueness lies in its attractiveness to all types of visitors.
The courtesy call also opened discussions on the handling of foreign travelers in the areas of death, hospital admissions, welfare support, tourism, safety and security and disaster management, among others.
James expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the warm welcome they received and committed to the strong linkage of the embassy to the provincial government in efforts to improve consular services.
The British Embassy officials also visited the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center. (PIMO/LMS)
