06 March 2014- Philippine Consul General in New York Mario De Leon, Jr. recently met with one of the members of the US House of Representatives pushing for the designation of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Philippines on February 21 in Flushing, New York.
Representative Grace Meng, a Democrat who represents the 6th congressional district of New York City, was one of the 29 Representatives who signed a letter dated November 19, 2013 asking then Acting Secretary Rand Beers of the Department of Homeland Secretary (DHS) to give TPS designation for the Philippines. The TPS will allow eligible Filipinos to stay and work in the United States so they could support the country’s long-term post-typhoon recovery efforts in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
During their meeting, Consul General De Leon thanked Representative Meng for openly supporting the Philippines’ request for TPS. After learning from the Consul General that the DHS had not yet made a decision on the request, Representative Meng reiterated her belief that TPS was important for the Philippines and said she would continue to try to help the country get the designation.
Representative Meng, who was born and raised in Queens, New York, is the first Asian- American from New York to be elected to Congress. At age 32, she was the first Asian- American woman elected to the New York State Legislature. There are about 7,156 Filipino Americans in her district based on the 2010 US census.
She currently serves in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Committee on Small Business and is a ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce.
Consul General De Leon was joined at the meeting by Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron, Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund President Atty. Leandro Lachica, Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc. President Rachelle Ann Ocampo, and National Federation of Filipino American Associations-NY member Joe Ramos. END