PH Consulate General Celebrates Philippine Independence Day with UCSF through Art, Music and Brain Health Discussion

Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer delivers his remarks (San Francisco PCG photo)

SAN FRANCISCO 26 June 2025 — Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Neil Frank Ferrer emphasized that the celebration of Independence Day is a special occasion to recognize and give honor to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of forebears to achieve the freedom that Filipinos currently enjoy. It is also the time to celebrate “what makes us proud to be Filipino: our culture, our creativity, and our community”.

The Consul General commended the work of the de Leon Lab—named after Dr. Jessica de Leon, a Filipino-American Assistant Professor at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center—which focuses on studying how bilingualism influences the trajectory of healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

The program featured a variety of interactive activities designed not only to stimulate and exercise the brain but also to encourage artistic expressions, including creative writing and poetry workshops, parol making, and music and dance demonstrations. END

Dr. Luis Martinez and Dr. Jessica de Leon of UCSF during a brief lecture on brain functions (San Francisco PCG photo)

Canon Kip Senior Center dancers performing the Pandanggo Santa Clara (San Francisco PCG photo)

Display of artworks from the Curry Senior Center (San Francisco PCG photo)

For more information, visit http://pcgsanfrancisco.org, https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/  or https://www.instagram.com/phlinsf/.