New Consul General in Calgary Reaches Out to Filipino Community, Hosts “Kapihan” Information Sessions

Consul General to Calgary Zaldy Patron conducts information session during the “Kapihan sa Konsulado” held at the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary on 20 July 2019. (Calgary PCG photo)

CALGARY 09 August 2019 – On his first month in office, Consul General to Calgary Zaldy Patron reached out to the Filipino communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan by hosting information sessions with community leaders in the said two provinces that are under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary.

Consul General Patron met with the Filipino community leaders of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 12 July 2019 at the Cosmo Civic Centre and on 20 July 2019, he hosted “Kapihan sa Konsulado” with the community leaders of Calgary, Alberta at the Consulate General. A week later, he met the community leaders in Edmonton, Alberta during the “Kapihan with the Consul General” he hosted at Panciteria de Manila.

Aside from introducing himself to the community leaders, Consul General Patron gave them a presentation on the latest updates about the Consulate General’s consular services pertaining to the issuance of passport, processing of civil registration, notarization of documents, and the retention and reacquisition of Philippine citizenship under Republic Act 9225.  He also briefed them about the services offered by the Office of the Social Security System (SSS) in Calgary.

Likewise, Consul General Patron shared with the community leaders the Consulate General’s plans and programs for cultural and economic cooperation. He invited them to join and help promote the Winter Escapade 7 travel tour to the Philippines to be held on 15-23 January 2020.

He also thanked the community leaders for their various celebrations of the Philippine Independence and Philippine Heritage Month in June 2019.

“The Consulate General hopes to partner and collaborate with the different Filipino community organizations for those activities that will help raise their profile in Alberta and Saskatchewan and contribute to their empowerment,”  Consul General Patron said in conducting the meetings.

Recognizing their love for their native country, Consul General Patron also urged the community leaders to continue to support the Philippines’ nation-building efforts.

There are about 175,000 Filipinos in Alberta -  75,000 of them are in Calgary and 64,000 reside in Edmonton, based on the 2016 Canada Census,  An estimated 34,000 Filipinos live in Saskatchewan with 12,000 of them staying in Saskatoon. END

Consul General Patron (front row, fourth from left) with some of the Filipino community leaders in Edmonton on 27 July 2019. (Calgary PCG photo)

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