DFA Honors Filipina Athletes

The Office of ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recently welcomed two Filipina athletes who brought honor to the country in sports.

The medals were awarded to Olympian Hidilyn Diaz and Paralympian Josephine Medina on behalf of ASEAN, which held a tribute and recognition ceremony to honor Olympians and Paralympians from ASEAN Member States last November 30, 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“On behalf of a proud nation and the whole ASEAN Community, I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations to your victory and for bringing pride to the Philippines,” said Assistant Secretary Ma. Hellen De La Vega.

Ms. Hidilyn Diaz ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought by bagging a silver medal in the women’s 53-kg weightlifting division of the 2016 Summer Games on August 07, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Meanwhile, Ms. Josephine Medina, handed the Philippines its first medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics by winning bronze in the women’s individual table tennis. (DFA/RJB/JEG/PIA-NCR)