Knowledge sharing and international cooperation took center stage as Mr. Florian Gotten, Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), and Mr. Antonio Peralta, Honorary Consul of Finland to Mindanao, formally turned over educational and business reference materials to the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte during their courtesy visit with Governor Edwin “Kuya Gob” Jubahib and PG Department Heads.
Among the materials presented was the book “100 Panlipunang Inobasyon Mula sa Finland”, which highlights Finland’s social innovation initiatives and aims to educate readers on the country’s development practices. The ECCP also turned over copies of “Doing Business in the Philippines 2025” and “Advocacy Papers 2025”.
Governor Jubahib welcomed the initiative, saying the books will be distributed to public universities across the province. He described the turnover as a meaningful way to strengthen cultural and diplomatic ties through shared learning and expressed gratitude for the guests’ willingness to share knowledge and experiences that may inspire future initiatives in Davao del Norte.
Jubahib also emphasized that Davao del Norte remains open and ready for meaningful international cooperation that can create a lasting impact for the province and its people.
Finnish Consul Peralta also viewed the visit as an opportunity to deepen discussions on cooperation and acknowledged the role of ECCP in advancing the development of Mindanao. He also expressed optimism about exploring possible collaborations with Davao del Norte, noting Jubahib’s strong leadership while hoping for further discussions on better trade relations.
ECCP Exec Gottein likewise expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and shared that he sees strong opportunities for growth and development in Mindanao. He also discussed ECCP’s initiatives on free trade agreement negotiations and their importance in fostering stronger economic partnerships.
The ceremonial turnover symbolized the exchange of best practices and the strengthening of friendship between the Philippines and Finland through education, innovation, and shared development goals.
