PH Consulate General Participates in the FilAm Group at Los Angeles Metro’s Lunch Fiesta

From left: Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Consul Rea G. Oreta, FilAm Group at Los Angeles Metro Coordinator Dr. Cris B. Liban, and Metro Chief Communications Officer Yvette Rapose deliver their remarks during the Metro Fil-Am Group’s Lunch Fiesta held at the Los Angeles Metro Headquarters on 17 July 2019. (Los Angeles PCG photo)

LOS ANGELES 07 August 2019 — Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Consul Rea G. Oreta and Cultural Officer Maria Dolores C. Sales represented the Consulate General at the Lunch Fiesta organized by the FilAm Group at Los Angeles Metro (Metro FilAm Group) held at the Plaza Level of the Los Angeles Metro Headquarters on 17 July 2019.

The Lunch Fiesta gathered Filipinos over Filipino dishes such as abodo, lumpia, kaldereta and turon. The Fiesta is accompanied by cultural performances.

In her remarks, Consul Oreta congratulated the FilAm Group, led by LA Metro’s Executive Officer for Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Program Management Dr. Cris B. Liban for providing an opportunity for LA Metro’s Fil-Am employees to come together and promote greater understanding and appreciation of the diversity, richness and beauty of the Philippines in mainstream American society.

She further commended the group for sharing with their colleagues the heartfelt hospitality and happy disposition, which Filipinos are known.

To complement the Filipino fiesta atmosphere, Filipino-American Service Group, Incorporated’s (FASGI) Geo Sargent and Vincent Basobas performed the maglalatik with the participation of male volunteers from the audience, including Mr. Liban.  A demonstration of Filipino martial arts kali by Senior Master Jun Suase also enticed the crowd.  Kali is more known among Filipinos as arnis.

The event concluded with a photo opportunity with the 1944 Philippine Sarao jeepney, which is currently parked at the LA Metro Headquarters.  The jeepney was acquired by the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and is being used for PWC’s Hidden Hi-Fi Jeepney tour, which brings visitors through the local landmarks of the Historic Filipinotown (which named locally as Hi-Fi).

Metro FilAm Group, which is the first Asian-American employee-run organization at the LA Metro, aims to promote Filipino culture through Metro’s activities and foster diversity and inclusiveness among LA Metro employees. END

(left photo) Filipino-American Service Group, Incorporated’s (FASGI) Geo Sargent and Vincent Basobas performed the maglalatik with the participation of male volunteers from the audience, including Mr. Liban.   A demonstration of Filipino martial arts kali by Senior Master Jun Suase also enticed the crowd to learn more about the self-defense martial arts. (Los Angeles PCG photo)

From left:  Master Jun Suase, Consul Oreta, FASGI’s Executive Director Yey Coronel, with Dr. Liban’s wife Benel Se-Liban and son JP, pose for a photo with PWC’s 1944 Philippine Sarao jeepney in the background. (Los Angeles PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://www.philippineconsulatela.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinLA/.