PH Consulate General in Chicago with U.S. Midwest Delegation Visits Various PH Sites

Consul General to Chicago Gina A. Jamoralin (front row, fourth from left) with the United States Midwest delegation at the foot of the Memorial Cross of the Mt. Samat National Shrine or “Dambana ng Kagitingan” in honor of the heroism of Filipino and American soldiers who fought shoulder to shoulder during World War II. 

EL NIDO 06 August 2019 – A total of 34 Filipinos and Americans from the United States Midwest visited El Nido in Palawan as part of the 2019 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour (formerly Ambassadors Tour) held in the Philippines from 14 to 21 July 2019.

Led by Consul General to Chicago Gina A. Jamoralin, the Midwest delegation comprised of participants from Chicago in Illinois, Minneapolis in Minnesota and St. Louis in Missouri.

The size of this year's delegation from the U.S. Midwest is the largest to date since the tour began 13 years ago. 

This year's tour brought the entire delegation from the U.S. West and East Coasts, Midwest, Hawaii, and Guam to Manila, Clark City in Pampanga, Mt. Samat Shrine in Pilar City, Bataan, as well as to the route of the World War II Death March and the surrender site of the Filipino and American defenders of Bataan in Balanga, Bataan, and finally to El Nido, Palawan.

The highlight of the weeklong tour was the wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Park Monument on 15 July 2019 with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno leading the ceremonies.

The VIP Tour is a joint project of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Tourism in cooperation with all the Philippine Consulates General in the U.S.  and the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and Rajah Tours. This year’s tour coordinator is the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. END

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno (front row, sixth from left) meets Consul General Jamoralin and members of the Midwest delegation to the 2019 VIP Tour in front of the Rizal Monument.

Consul General Jamoralin (center) with Midwest delegates at the dinner hosted by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) in Clark, Pampanga.

Delegates to the VIP Tour from Missouri pose with Consul General Jamoralin and Atty. Alejandra Clemente of Rajah Tours (standing, second from right).

Members of the US Midwest delegation visiting the Bataan WWII Museum in Balanga City, Bataan.

For more information, visit https://www.chicagopcg.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.chicagopcg.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinChicago/.