The government of the United Kingdom (UK) welcomed the public to a bigger Great British Festival this month as it celebrated the Philippines-UK Friendship Day and continues to expand relations in the fields of education, technology, and environmental preservation.

“It was 78 years ago that Britain was not well-known to Filipinos because we are farther. What we’ve been wanting to do is change that and not make us geographically distanced. Our relationship has grown significantly,” British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said.

The Great British Festival featured stalls of Filipino and British businesses and institutions, including representatives from British universities and schools at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheatre in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

The festival was organized with the help of the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the British Council.

“We had a 50 percent increase in terms of companies who joined us this year, totaling over 56 companies that vary across major UK companies and local brands. This only shows the growing bilateral relations and the Filipino-British business communities,” BCCP executive director/trustee Chris Nelson said.

Scholarships offered

Beaufils said this year’s festival highlighted British universities and schools as the foreign government has opened applications for Chevening scholarships to Filipinos until 5 November.

“We’re deepening people-to-people relations. It’s the first time we have an education pavilion. We have among the top universities in the world and more Filipinos want to study in the UK. The scholarship allows them to be fully funded,” she said.

Chevening scholarships allow students to take master’s degrees for one year at any university in the UK and provide financial support for their flights, accommodation, tuition fees and other needs.

Recently, the UK government reported 541 Filipinos completed their master’s degrees in the UK through the scholarship and now join over 55,000 Chevening alumni.

Apart from education, Beaufils said the British government is helping enrich Filipinos’ knowledge on environmental protection, such as using clean energy resources and other civic-led measures.

“Last month, Britain closed its last coal power station. We’re spreading education but we’re also complementing that with grant financing to smaller society organizations that work on biodiversity, mangroves, or coastal projects,” she said.

At the same time, she lauded the government for urging collective action from other more developed countries through climate finance for the benefit of the less developed and most vulnerable countries.

In August, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law Republic Act 12019 or the Loss and Damage Fund Board Act aimed at attracting financial support from developed countries and development institutions in addressing climate change in less developed countries. The Philippines serves as the host of the LDF Board.

Beaufils also shared that the UK and the Philippines are collaborating to improve cybersecurity and digital connectivity.

“Our relationship is modernizing. We’re doing satellites together and addressing maritime security and other cutting-edge issues,” she said.

While the Great British Festival served as a platform for the British embassy to share its efforts on helping the Philippines tackle serious issues, it also brought fun to the guests through its cultural activities.

“It’s a celebration between the two countries. This is to show our culture, values, arts and food and to celebrate all we have in common,” said Ambassador Beaufils.

Guests cracked up with the festival’s jokes session, dressed up as famous British characters for its costume contest, and piqued their brains for the pub quiz.

The festival also delighted guests with Broadway songs and British musicals performed by Filipino artists, such as those from the Ateneo de Manila University.

The Philippines and the UK have been celebrating their friendship every 20 October for 24 years.