Facebook contest launched to boost EU-Philippines ties

AP FILE PHOTO

Manila, Philippines—The European Union’s delegation to the Philippines has launched a Facebook profile picture contest in a bid to boost ties between the two countries.

“We like to have a profile picture that will best depict the European Union-Philippines partnership,” Thelma Gecolea, public affairs officer of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, said in a phone interview.

The contest, which starts at noon on July 1, will be open to all Filipino residents aged 13 and above, and will require participants to take photos based on the theme “The European Union-Philippines Partnership.” Entries will be accepted until noon of July 25.

The contest shall reward two winners: one grand winner to be selected by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines on August 1; and a second winner, who will be selected for having the “greatest number of Facebook ‘likes’” at noon of August 1.  Twenty preselected pictures will be posted on the EU delegation’s Facebook page on July 25 for Facebook users to select their “pick.”

The grand winner will receive a Nokia Lumia and the second winner will receive EU caps, thermos jug, laptop sleeve, and a bluetooth speaker.

For complete contest guidelines visit the EU Facebook group.

Gecolea said the move was also made to boost the EU delegation to the Philippines’ visibility as well as target young Filipinos who maximize the use of social media.

She added that the move was significant and timely for the signing of the landmark Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the two countries, saying the agreement would serve as the framework and foundation of the countries’ bilateral relations.

“We see the importance of social media as Filipinos are great users of Facebook and considering that we have foreseen the partnership and cooperation agreement being signed soonest,” Gecolea said.

The agreement would be signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary del Rosario and High Representative Catherine Ashton of the EU Foreign Affairs on July 11 at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Phnom Penh.

The agreement was expected to push negotiations for a free-trade agreement that  would allow the Philippines’ greater access to European countries, as well as facilitate trade and investments between the two countries.