Ambassador Romualdez Meets Northeast Filipino-American Community at 2018 General Assembly
Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez (7th from left) joins Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega (6th from left) and Filipino-American Community members in at the Assembly (photo by Mr. Boyet Loverita)
07 February 2018 NEW YORK – Nearly 200 members of the Filipino-American Community representing the leadership of organizations in the US Northeast Region took part in the Filipino-American Community General Assembly “Connecting and Collaborating for Change” at the Philippine Center-New York on 03 February.
The highlight of the General Assembly was the first opportunity of the Filipino Community to meet and engage with the new Philippine envoy to the US, Ambassador Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez. The Ambassador paid tribute to the dynamism of the Fil-Am Community and called on them to unite on major issues affecting their personal and professional lives such as immigration, healthcare, education, and career mobility. He also shared the latest welcome developments on the peace and order and economic progress in the Philippines.
Coming from New England, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, Filipinos attended a day-long event with updates from Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega on the Philippine Consulate General in New York’s calendar of activities, programs, and services for 2018. Participants were given information on major programs for the remainder of the year including consular outreach services, Know Your Rights sessions, trade and tourism promotion, the 2018 Ambassadors’ Tour, and flagship as well as new projects. Consul General De Vega likewise thanked the community for its unflagging support for its various projects.
Likewise on hand at the event as resources persons were Mr. Nicanor Bautista, Senior Trade Representative of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in New York, Ms. Luz Navarro of the Philippine Tourism Office in New York, Mr. Michael Azucena of PagIbig Fund, Ms. Marites Marin of the Social Security System (SSS), and Welfare Officer Petronila Bergado of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The speakers gave updates on their agencies’ respective programs for the year.
The Assembly was likewise graced by the presence of award-winning artist Ms. Lea Salonga who rendered a number from her latest Broadway show “Once on This Island” which will hold a Filipino Night on 25 February 2018 and dance sport champions brother-sister tandem Jared and Jhailyn Farcon who performed to the delight of the participants.
Event supports GMA Pinoy TV and Philippine Airlines were also present to deliver special messages while PAL graciously raffled off a round-trip ticket to the Philippines for a lucky member of the community.
The Filipino-American Community General Assembly is a flagship program of the Philippine Consulate General in New York. It provides a platform for the Consulate General to inform the communities under its jurisdiction on its programs and calendar of activities, developments in the Philippines, services offered, and encourages networking and partnership building for a more dynamic, engaged, and empowered community. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/
Amb. Romualdez with Consul General De Vega responds to questions during the Townhall portion (photo by NYPCG)
From left: Amb. Romualdez, Ms. Lea Salonga, and Consul General De Vega (photo by NYPCG)