14 October 2013 – Celebrations in the United States Northeast continue as the Philippine Consulate General in New York joined the community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the commemoration of the Filipino-American Heritage Month last October 05. 

A Proclamation from the Office of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett was presented to National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) represented in Pennsylvania by President Aida Rivera. 

Vice Consul Khrystina Corpuz delivered the Consulate’s remarks.  She underscored the theme for this year’s celebration, "Hands That Built America: Filipino Americans in the Labor Movement" and how the Filipino immigrant workers have helped shape the American society through integrity in their professions; may they be in the medical field, education, law, service, finance and government.

Filipino-American Mayor Guillermo Udarbe of Ridgway, Pennsylvania was also present at the event and he gave the audience a brief background of the history of the Filipino people.  Executive Director Tiffany Huang represented the Governor’s Office, and expressed her respect to the Filipino community, as she grew up in a predominantly Filipino immigrant neighborhood in Philadelphia. 

That same day, a consular team from New York traveled to Harrisburg and teamed up with Philippine American Association of Central Pennsylvania led by Mr. Ross Shiraki to provide passport, legal and dual citizenship services to the Filipinos in the area. END