PH Consulate General in Chicago Holds Post-Arrival Orientation for Filipino Teachers of Chicago Public Schools

 Consul General to Chicago Gina A. Jamoralin delivering her welcome remarks to the Filipino teachers who will be participating in an Exchange Visitor Program with the Chicago Public Schools. (Chicago PCG photo)

CHICAGO 06 September 2019 – The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago welcomed and provided an orientation seminar to 27 Filipino teachers who recently arrived in Chicago at the Kalayaan Hall on 19 August 2019.

Coming from different parts of the Philippines, the teachers will be undergoing an Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for three to five years.

In her welcome remarks, Consul General to Chicago Gina A. Jamoralin emphasized the importance of reliable and first-hand information as tool for navigating their new environment and making the most of the privilege of participating in the EVP with CPS.

Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. Labor Attache Angela Librado-Trinidad discussed the various functions of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) centered on the protection of the rights of Filipino workers overseas.

A host of other speakers delivered presentations on a number of related topics, including the services of the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, programs of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and Social Security Administration.

Further on the protection of the welfare and rights of workers, officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul addressed the Filipino teachers and provided informational materials.

Federal officials present during the briefing include NLRB Region 13 Director Peter Sung Ohr, EEOC Senior Investigator Shuwn Hayes, and OSHA Regional Safety and Health Manager Andres Saldaña, and State Attorney General representative Nettie Lasko.

Personal security and safety, collaboration with the Filipino American community on cultural exchange and promotion as well as effective interpersonal and working relations within the CPS system were also discussed.

This is the first time they admitted teachers from the Philippines who are all highly trained and experienced in Special Education, according to CPS.

Consul General Jamoralin, Labor Attache Trinidad and Deputy Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr. met separately with CPS officials, Talent Acquisition Office director Christine Murphy-Judson and Luis Miguel Zarco, to discuss potential cooperation. END

   Filipino teachers attending the Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar at the Kalayaan Hall of the Consulate General. (Chicago PCG photo)

 Speakers at the first Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar at the Consulate General after the event. (front row, from left) Illinois Attorney General’s Office’s Nettie Lasko,  Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. Labor Attache Angela Librado-Trinidad, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Early Childhood Educator Vivien Cajigas, Consul General Jamoralin; Ms.Josephine Mascarenas-Diaz, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services Community Relations Officer Maria del Carmen Rodriguez, (second row, from left): Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regional Safety and Health Manager Andres Saldaña, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Senior Investigator Shuwn Hayes, Social Security Administration Customer Service Representative Brenda Rivera CPS Talent Acquisition Director Christine Murphy-Judson, Mr. Ruben Salazar, and Deputy Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr. (Chicago PCG photo)

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