Philippine Ambassador Quintana wins Visionary Award in Dubai   DUBAI – Fifteen months after taking her post as head of mission in the UAE, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn Quintana bagged the Visionary Award at the Emirates Woman, Woman of the Year Awards 2019. Monday night’s awards at The Address Montgomerie, supported by the German National Tourist Office for Gulf countries, honoured 25 of the UAE's and the region’s most inspiring and successful women, with the top five winning in five categories. In the Visionaries category, the Philippine ambassador bested four other contenders—Ghizlan Guenez, founder and CEO of luxury fashion platform The Modist; Amanda Kate Perry, CEO and Managing Director of Vitality Management Consultancies; Natasha Sideris, founder and managing director of Tashas Group and Bana Shomali, Founder and CEO of servicemarket.com. With cheers from supporters and well-wishers, Ambassador Quintana went up the stage to the tune of Katy Perry’s empowering pop song, Roar, as she received her trophy. Speaking to Expatmedia.net after receiving her award, Quintana expressed joy at being recognised as a visionary. “It’s amazing because I have been here for a year and I have seen how this country has favoured a lot of women who are making a difference. It’s really such an honour to be in such a place where there is so much diversity. The place itself impacts the vision; the way you do your work. As ambassador of the Philippines, I am really very honoured to have this opportunity to reach out to the community and to be able to flesh out the vision of the community, which is to really shine and do good and thrive in this really wonderful community that is the UAE,” Quintana told Expatmedia.net. Quintana assumed her post as Philippine Ambassador to the UAE in August, 2018 after serving in Oman. The seasoned career diplomat holds an impressive 28-year record in public service. As ambassador, she has constantly appealed to compatriots to work with her in "raising the profile" of Filipinos in the UAE.

At a glance: In her words

What she does As an ambassador, I reach out to my one million compatriots, providing them with fresh ideas and inspiration in order to raise their profile in the UAE and to encourage them to be positive contributors to society. I also help in addressing gender issues by connecting with relevant institutions in the UAE. Her milestone moment Leading flagship programmes that help in promoting cultural diversity through events in the Year of Zayed and The Year of Tolerance. These are all aimed at bridging the Philippines and the UAE by developing cultural linkages. Up next I am planning to initiate a series of international business and cultural outreach activities that will lead up to achieving the vision of a strong Philippine presence at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. PIA/Expat 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