“Ugnayan Sa U.S.” Visits Guam as First Stop
Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairperson Secretary Francisco P. Acosta delivers his remarks during the briefing for Filipino community leaders on 30 July 2019 at the Philippine Consulate General in Agana’s Sentro Rizal. (Agana PCG photo)
GUAM 09 August 2019 – The Commission on Filipinos Overseas’ (CFO) “Ugnayan sa U.S.” officially hit the road with a visit to Guam by CFO Chairperson and former Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals Secretary Francisco P. Acosta on 27-31 July 2019.
Accompanying Secretary Acosta were CFO officials, which include Projects Management Division Director/Division Chief Marie Del Rosario Apattad, Migrant Integration and Education Division Director/Division Chief Ivy Miravalles, Head Executive Assistant Attorney Xerxes Cortel, and Executive Assistant/ Communications and Media Head Michelle Dawn Bande.
The Philippine Consulate General in Guam, led by Consul General Marciano R. de Borja, organized a series of activities with Government of Guam officials, Filipino community leaders, and local media outfits for the Ugnayan’s campaign to reach out to more Filipinos in various regions of the world and discuss means of cooperation for diaspora engagement.
The delegation appeared on KTKB MEGAMIXX 101.9 “Puso ng Pinoy” FM radio programs Kumusta Kabayan co-hosted by Consul Mark Francis C. Hamoy and Radio Breakfast eXtreme (RBX) hosted by Filipino host DJ Doods. Kuam-TV’s Nestor Licanto of interviewed Secretary Acosta at the Consul General’s official residence in Jonestown.
The CFO introduced its Youth Leadership in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) Program at a roundtable meeting with young Filipino-American leaders on 29 July 2019 at the Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal Agana. YouLeaD is two-week cultural immersion program in the Philippines intended for Filipino youth who were born abroad or migrated at an early age such that they are not very familiar with Philippine culture.
On 30 July 2019, the delegation paid a courtesy call on 35th Guam Legislature Senator Régine Biscoe Lee, Chairperson of the Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs, Telecommunications, Technology, and Labor, with Speaker Tina Rose Muña-Barnes, Senator Telo T. Taitague and Senator Kelly Marsh in attendance. Secretary Acosta expressed appreciation to the Government of Guam for all the assistance extended to Filipinos in Guam, and for recognizing the positive contribution of Filipinos to the island.
A briefing for Filipino community leaders at the Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal Agana followed the courtesy call.
As chair of the Philippine Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking – Advocacy and Communications Committee (IACAT-ADVOCOM), the CFO informed the Filipino community that 30 July 2019 is World Day against Trafficking in Persons, and introduced its 1343 Actionline Against Huma Trafficking.
Secretary Acosta encouraged the Filipino community to submit nominees from Guam and the other islands under the Consulate General’s jurisdiction to two important awards for overseas Filipinos – the 2019 Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards and the 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. END
Secretary Acostaa speaks before 35th Guam Legislature senators (from left) Telo Taitague, Speaker Tina Muna Barnes, Regine Biscoe Lee and Dr. Kelly Marsh at the Guam Congress Building session hall. Vice Consul Alex O. Vallespin (seated beside Secretary Acosta) accompanied the CFO officials during the call. (Agana PCG photo)
For more information, visit https://www.aganapcg.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippinesguam.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAgana/.