Brazil: More than Rio carnival and samba

THE 70th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the Philippines and Brazil is just around the corner. The mere fact that the two countries have long-standing relations is enough reason to celebrate.

Brazil was one of the first countries in 1946 to recognize the Philippines as a sovereign state. At first, relations were conducted on a non-resident basis, with the Philippine Embassy in Washington accredited to handle them. The country opened a resident embassy in 1965 in Rio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil. To encourage the country to transfer its embassy to Brasilia, the Brazilian Government donated a lot, and today the Philippine Embassy residence and chancery stand majestically on a 2.5 hectare lot along Avenida das Nacoes, Distrito Federal, Brasilia.