16 February 2017 NEW YORK —Consul Felipe Carino III and Cultural Officer Olive Magpile led the Philippine Consulate General in New York and Filipino cultural performers who participated in the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York (SOFC) International Food Festival at the Consulate General of India on February 09.

The event featured authentic national food and cultural performances from 24 Consulates General in New York, including the Philippines.

Each participating Consulate General brought their country’s famous hors d’oeuvres and beverages or offered cultural performances to the delight of the attendees.

The Consulate General served home-cooked kutsinta and empanada as well as calamansi juice, to the guests from various Consulates General particularly the Consulates General of Columbia, Thailand, India, and Estonia.

The Philippines was among five Consulates General including Algeria, India, and Paraguay which had the chance to showcase its cultural and traditional dances.

The Foundation of the Filipino Artists Dance Ensemble, a group based in Staten Island, performed the “Kuratsa”, an indigenized form of “La Curacha,” a courtship dance introduced by Mexican traders to Filipinos during the Galleon Trade period, which evolved into different versions among the Warays in Eastern Visayas region.  

Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega said that the Consulate General’s participation this year highlighted the cuisine and traditional folk dances of the Philippines.

The International Food Festival is a flagship project of the SOFC that counts 113 New York-based Consulates General as members. It has an Executive Committee representing different regional groups.

The Philippines represents the East Asia and Western Pacific Region in the SOFC Executive Committee. END