PH Consulate General in New York Hosts 5th Fil-Am General Assembly
Consul General Claro S. Cristobal (front center), together with the leaders and members of the 85 Filipino-American organizations, at the 2019 General Assembly. (Michael Azucena photo)
NEW YORK 15 February 2019 – Consul General Claro S. Cristobal welcomed 170 leaders and participants of the Filipino-American community representing 85 Filipino-American organizations in the United States northeast at the 5th General Assembly held at the Philippine Center New York’s Kalayaan Hall on 09 February 2019.
Filipino-American leaders from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York participated in the annual event, which served as the venue for them to be apprised on the Consulate General’s calendar of activities, programs and services for 2019.
Consul General Cristobal introduced the Consulate General’s projects and calendar for the year and gave a report on its activities last year. He highlighted new projects such as academe networking, women entrepreneur’s forum, business and career networking event, workshops on Leadership and Management for the Fil-Am Community organizations, and Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar for newly arrived Filipino immigrants.
He also encouraged the Filipino community to support the Consulate General’s annual flagship projects such as the consular outreach services, Know Your Rights seminars, Filipino Restaurant Week, VIP Tour, Paaralan sa Konsulado, and Sinehan sa Summer, among others.
The Consul General also reminded the Filipino community members to exercise their right to vote this coming Philippine elections, stressing that overseas voting will run from 13 April to 13 May.
Senior Trade Representative Nicanor Bautista, Tourism Attaché Susan Del Mundo, Member Services Officer Michael Azucena, and Welfare Officer Josephine Sanchez-Tobia were also present and gave updates on their agencies’ respective programs and services for the year.
In his remarks to the Assembly, Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro related how, as a Filipino, he got involved in politics. He expressed his readiness to assist members of the Filipino community in Jersey City. With the community being one of the biggest immigrant groups in Jersey City, he said that the Filipino community could play a significant role in community building.
True to its continuing theme “Connecting and Collaborating for Change,” the General Assembly’s highlight was the breakout sessions held in the afternoon, where the participating organizations were divided into three groups and discussed topics such as inspiring engagement with young Filipino-Americans, broadening involvement in local community building and socio-political processes, and strengthening linkages and collaboration with the Consulate General.
The Assembly likewise discussed the community events led by the different organizations, as well as the upcoming Philippine Independence Day parade in June.
Event partners PNB New York, GMA Pinoy TV, and Philippine Airlines, were present and gave updates on their company’s new services available to the Filipino Community. GMA Pinoy TV’s Grace Labaguis presented a GMA network’s video dubbed as “Sama-sama nating ‘Pusuan ang Totoo’” which is the network’s campaign for safeguarding the ballot and delivering truthful, accurate and comprehensive coverage of the forthcoming elections.
Philippine Airlines shared the news that the flag carrier will soon have a daily Manila-New York-Manila flight and raffled off a round-trip ticket to the Philippines. Filipino-American singer Angel Ram had the participants dancing as she rendered an upbeat version of Lionel Richie’s “Say You, Say Me” and “All Night Long.” END
Consul General Claro S. Cristobal (left) answers Fil-Am Communities’ questions regarding the Consulate General’s programs and activities for 2019 while Deputy Consul Kerwin Orville Tate (right) moderates the event. (New York PCG photo)
Fil-Am Community leaders during the fifth General Assembly hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in New York at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall on 09 February 2019. (New York PCG photo)
During breakout sessions, Consul Arman Talbo facilitates discussions on inspiring engagement with young Filipino-Americans. (New York PCG photo)
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph, www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/.