PH Consulate General in San Francisco Hosts Free Screening of “Honor: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos”

Consul General Henry S. Bensurto Jr. delivers his welcome remarks during the free film screening of “HONOR: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos” at the Museo ng Lahing Pilipino of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 26 September 2019. (San Francisco PCG photo)

SAN FRANCISCO 11 October 2019 – The Consulate General in San Francisco hosted a free screening of the film “HONOR: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos” on 26 September 2019 at the Museo ng Lahing Pilipino of the Philippine Center.

In partnership with the Philippine World War II Memorial Foundation, the film was brought by its Executive Producer Desiree Ann Cua Benipayo.  Members of the Filipino-American community, representatives from the Bataan Legacy Historical Society, and Consulate personnel attended the screening.

In his remarks, Consul General Henry S. Bensurto Jr. shared that the screening was held as part of the Consulate General’s Spark*Connect*Empower movement, which aimed to spark pride among Filipino-Americans in their history, culture and heritage, connect them with their Filipino roots, and empower them with the knowledge that the Filipino people are of great ancestry, and possess a rich legacy as exemplified by the life of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos.  He added that even without literally laying down one’s life, like Chief Justice Abad Santos, everyone can be positive agents of change in their communities, whether in the motherland or abroad.

The film highlighted his integrity as a government official, his loyalty to his country by refusing to collaborate with enemy forces during World War II, and his bravery and sacrifice in dying for the Philippines. 

As a side note, the film also showed his connections with San Francisco, having first arrived in the city in 1905 as part of the Filipino students named pensionados.  He finished high school at the Santa Clara High School.

After the screening, an open forum was held with Ms. Benipayo, in which audience members shared their admiration and great respect for Chief Justice Abad Santos.  They strongly recommended having the film shown to a broader audience, including the youth and even non-Filipinos, in order to continue promoting his legacy.

Interested organizations and schools who wish to hold screenings of the film may get in touch with Ms. Benipayo at her email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END

Consul General Henry S. Bensurto Jr. (second from left), with Executive Producer Desiree Benipayo (leftmost), Mrs. Mariza Bensurto (third from left), Executive Producer Mario Abad Santos Benipayo (second from right), and Mr. George Sycip (rightmost) at the film screening of “HONOR: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos”. (San Francisco PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://www.sanfranciscopcg.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippinessanfrancisco.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/.