Fil-Croatian singer impresses Croatia president

A FILIPINO Croatian teen "mesmerized" Croatian President Zoran Milanović with her a capella performance of a Croatian folk song during the leader's inauguration, the Philippine Embassy in Austria said.

Chriztel Renae Gamboa Aceveda, 14, was personally chosen by the president to sing at his inauguration after seeing her perform at a local festival in 2024.

The embassy said Aceveda was born in Angeles City, Pampanga. When her mother and Croatian stepfather moved to Croatia in 2022, she fell in love with Croatian traditional music.

Aceveda's performance of "Dej mi Boze oči sokolove" captivated the guests at the inauguration as well as the wider audience who watched the livestream broadcast, with some of them saying her singing "put tears in their eyes," the embassy said.

She gained the public's attention when she auditioned and won "Supertalent" in 2023, Croatia's franchise of the global competition "Got Talent" shows.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and Slovenia convened their inaugural political consultations since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1993.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the meeting, held on Wednesday in Ljubljana, "saw discussions on political, economic, and multilateral cooperation."

It also identified opportunities for possible cooperation in the areas of science and technology, nuclear energy, space, information and communication technology, tourism, education, sports and labor.

DFA Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and Asean Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro led the Philippine delegation.

The Slovenian side was led by Marko Štucin, State Secretary for European and Political Affairs, International Law and the Protection of Interests of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

They discussed international and regional issues such as the situation in the West Philippine Sea and security in the wider Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, the DFA said.

The next bilateral consultations meeting will be in Manila.