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MANILA - Philippine trade with The Netherlands has continued to grow, something that its ambassador to Manila enjoyed as she feasted on lunch inspired by local cuisine from her home country, prepared with pork imported from there.

Asides from the usual flowers, The Netherlands has exported agricultural products to the Philippines, including pork, to meet the large demand from the Philippines, according to Dutch Ambassador Marion Derckx.

The envoy said her pea soup, prepared by her Filipina chef, with pork imported from The Netherlands, tasted just as how she ate it in her home when she was only 4 years old.

Together with the Philippines, Derckx said The Netherlands has also established the ATI-International Training Center on Pig Husbandry in 1985 at Lipa City, Batangas to provide training for pig farmers.

They also provide 90 percent of vegetable seeds grown in the Philippines through Dutch Company East West Seed.

Being the top exporter of flowers, Netherlands has also assisted Philippine flower shops by providing some of the base materials for plants usually imported from their country, creating jobs and lessening the carbon footprint from transportation.

Locally grown Gladiolus, a flower typically imported from The Netherlands, now adorns the envoy’s house in the Philippines.

Aside from agricultural trade, maritime relations with the Philippines have also been strengthened. The Netherlands Shipping Training Centre in Palompon, Leyte was founded in 2001 by Dutch ship owners to educate and train Filipino students in seafaring.

Ninety percent of the students in the center end up working in Dutch ship companies. According to the ambassador, they have hired 15,000 Filipino seafarers, who account for around half of their entire manpower.

The Netherlands has also offered their assistance in improving water resources and hydro facilities in the Philippines. Last January, both countries formulated a plan to develop and manage the Manila Bay area.

Derckx also addressed the problem of properly transporting fresh produce to the consumers.

“About 70 percent of what farmers produce in the Philippines is lost on its way from the produce to consumer,” she said.

“There are many things that can be done there and we are specialized in it [transporting fresh produce],” she added.