Ambassador Leslie J. Baja with keynote speaker Swiss Vice President Ueli Maurer. 

The Philippine Embassy in Berne reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that on 13 March, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Limmat Foundation, the Swiss Foundation announced that it will help establish a training center for women entrepreneurs in the Philippines.  Limmat Foundation is a non-profit foundation active in Switzerland and abroad supporting educational, development and social projects for the improvement of living conditions worldwide.  

Limmat has partnered with the Philippine Foundation for Professional Training Inc (FPTI) which was established in 1982 and provides vocational training for women in the culinary arts.  During the anniversary event, Ms Susana Manzon represented the FPTI.  Through the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and the Limmat Foundation, FPTI received CHF800,000 to fund its five schools and train about 10,700 students in the last 20 years.

Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Leslie J. Baja attended the event and thanked the organizers for this continuing partnership with the Philippines which is providing empowerment to Filipino women workers and now to entrepreneurs.  The 40th anniversary event was keynoted by Swiss Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer who currently is Switzerland’s Vice President.