PH Consulate General in Chicago Meets 2019 Chicago Marathon PH Team

Group photo of the Philippine Consulate Officers and staff with 2019 Chicago Marathon PH Team. (Chicago PCG photo)

CHICAGO 20 November 2019 – Fifty Filipino runners participating in the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon visit the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago on 11 October 2019.

Acting Consul General to Chicago Melchor P. Lalunio, Jr. welcomed the runners and delivered inspirational message, reading the “10 commandments” for runners and urging them to give their their best shot.

Administrative Officer Alvar Rosales reminded the runners to keep safe and provided contact information of the marathon organizers in case of emergency.

As part of the first-ever Chicago Filipino Restaurant Week (FRW), the Consulate – in partnership with the International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting (ISFFA), the Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF), Mama Sita’s and Cathay Land, Inc. – hosted a carbo-loading session to prepare the runners for the marathon on 13 October 2019.

The runners were served pancit, rice, pork tocino, barbecued chicken, tulingan (tuna), ginataang kalabasa with assorted vegetables, and turon. The food was prepared by Chicken Ati-Atihan and Lola Tining’s, two of the twenty-two FRW participating restaurants, using delicious ingredients from Mama Sita’s.

Mr. Jan Paul Ferrer, ISFFA President and PACF representative, shared that the carbo-loading event was part of the Filipino American History Month celebration and the Chicago FRW, and vowed to continue welcoming the runners to Chicago every year. Mr. Eric Umali, Cathay Land Regional Marketing Head for North America, shared the projects of his company and efforts to heighten its presence in the Midwest. He also awarded raffle prizes to lucky runners.

A total of 150 runners from the Philippines participated in the marathon, with many of them arriving after the above-mentioned event hosted by the Consulate General. Running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On race day, runners from all the 50 states and more than 100 countries set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park. END

Filipino marathon runners partake of the food during the carbo-loading event. (Chicago PCG photo)

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