PH Consulate General in San Francisco Highlights Empowerment and Partnership in New Year’s Vin D’ Honneur and “Ikaapat Na Ulat Sa Pamayanan”

Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. addresses guests during the New Year’s Vin d’honneur, Consul General’s 2020 Report to the Community, and Launch of the Independence Day Gala Celebrations on 31 January 2020 at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center, 447 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California. (San Francisco PCG photo)

SAN FRANCISCO 13 February 2020 — Partnership between the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and the Filipino American community makes for an empowered community and country, is the highlight of the message of Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. in this year’s Ikaapat na Ulat sa Pamayanan (Fourth Report to the Community) and New Year’s Vin d’ honneur held on 31 January 2020 at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center.

The event is an annual tradition at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, spearheaded by the Consul General to welcome the new year in the company of members of the Filipino American Community in the Bay Area.

Consul General Bensurto addressed the Filipino-American Community, emphasizing that “we have always believed in the strength of partnerships, and with 60 Spark*Connect*Empower (SCE) Partners and counting, we hope to continue pursuing programs and activities that spark interest, pride and love of Filipino culture and heritage, and connect Filipinos and Filipino-Americans with each other, with their community, with their country – be it the Philippines or the US.

Videos prepared by the Consulate were presented to the audience to highlight the changes, innovations, and updates on the work of the Consulate and how it carries out and realizes the ideals of the SCE movement, including its “aspirations of having an empowered community that elevates the profile and influence of the Filipino-American community in the United Sates; a Filipino-American community that, in turn, empowers kababayans back home.”

The Save-the-Date posters for upcoming Independence Day celebrations in the U.S., namely, the 13 June 2020 Philippine Independence Day Gala Concert at the DAR Constitution Hall in D.C., led by the Philippine Embassy, and the 20 June 2020 Gala Dinner and Concert at Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, were also presented. END

Members of the Filipino-American community in the Bay Area listen as Consul General to San Francsico Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. as he addresses the guests during the New Year’s Vin d’honneur, Consul General’s 2020 Report to the Community, and Launch of the Independence Day Gala Celebrations. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Consul General to San Francsico Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. leads the ceremonial toast during the New Year’s Vin d’honneur, Consul General’s 2020 Report to the Community, and Launch of the Independence Day Gala Celebrations. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Madam Ann Mariza Sanchez-Bensurto presents the Consulate General’s engagement with the San Francisco Consular Corps and the League of San Francisco Consular Corps (LSFCC). Ms. Bensurto is LSFCC President. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. (leftmost) and Madam Ann Mariza Sanchez-Bensurto (second from right) with Senior Adviser to San Francisco Mayor London Breed Marjan Philhour (second from left) and Filipino-American community leader Sonia Delen (rightmost). (San Francisco PCG photo)

Filipino-American community leaders with Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. (third from left) in the Bay Area. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Filipino-American community leaders in the Bay Area. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Integrated Bar of the Philippines Northern California. (San Francisco PCG photo)

ABS-CBN/TFC officers. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Filipino-Americans talents perform at the event. (San Francisco PCG photo)

The Philippine Consulate General Choir sings the Philippine National Anthem and invocation. (San Francisco PCG photo)

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