ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles Celebrates ASEAN’s 52nd Founding Anniversary
The 2019 ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles (AWCLA) Patrons and Committee Members. (Benjamin Ascue and Bobby Crisostomo photo)
LOS ANGELES 12 September 2019 — The ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles (AWCLA), led by its 2019 Chairperson and spouse of Consul General to Los Angeles Adelio Angelito S. Cruz Madame Catherine Amon Cruz, held a fundraising bazaar in celebration of the 52nd Founding Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Philippine Consul General’s official residence in Arcadia, California on 24 August 2019.
The Bazaar, which was organized by the spouses of the Consuls General of the ASEAN consular missions in Los Angeles—the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand—aims to promote the arts and cuisine of ASEAN, as well as to raise funds for AWCLA projects, including a monetary donation for a chosen charitable institution in Southern California.
In her opening remarks, Madame Cruz highlighted the invaluable friendship, which the association has nurtured throughout the years, enabling AWCLA to realize its mission and widen its network in the city of Los Angeles and beyond. She also extended her sincere appreciation to all her fellow Patrons and AWCLA Committee Members for their dedicated service, which has been instrumental to AWCLA’s success.
Around 400 guests from the ASEAN community in Los Angeles, including members of the local government, consular corps, chambers of commerce, the business community and media in Los Angeles County attended the event. Filipino-American appointed officials who graced the event were Commissioner Cris Liban of the Board of Transportation of the City of Los Angeles and Commissioner Abraham Lim of the Investment Committee of the City of Montebello.
The Bazaar featured products from the Philippines’ Gawad Kalinga, Goldilocks Bakeshop, Mambo International Kitchen, Toto’s Lechon and Auntie Dee’s Pastries.
AWCLA was established on 08 May 1991, drawing inspiration from the ideals of ASEAN friendship and unity. It is a socio-cultural association of women composed of the spouses of the heads of mission, female members of the ASEAN consular corps and ASEAN community in Los Angeles. It aims to promote awareness about ASEAN as an organization, and people-to-people contacts through various activities.
The Bazaar is one of AWCLA’s most important projects as it enables the Association to continue with its charitable work. Recipients of proceeds from AWCLA’s previous bazaars include The American Red Cross, Smile Train, and typhoon victims in the Philippines. END
Madame Catherine Amon Cruz, 2019 AWCLA Chairman and spouse of Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, delivers her welcome remarks during the 2019 AWCLA Bazaar. (Benjamin Ascue and Bobby Crisostomo photo)
From left: Consul General Cruz, AWCLA Patron Madame Dyah Krisnawan of Indonesia, 2019 AWCLA President Madame Catherine Amon Cruz, AWCLA Vice President Madame Kamolpatr Pratoomkaew of Thailand, AWCLA Acting Patron Madame Myint Myat Phyu of Myanmar, AWCLA Honorary Patron Consul General Devrin Jeck of Malaysia and Consul General Tin Yu of Myanmar. (Benjamin Ascue and Bobby Crisostomo photo)
For more information, visit https://www.philippineconsulatela.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinLA/.