Hawaii State Legislators Present Resolution Recognizing the 75th Anniversary of US-Philippines Diplomatic Relations

(Left to right) AFP Assistant Liaison Officer to INDOPACOM Col. Vince Bantilan, Rep. Ty Cullen, Deputy Consul General Angelica Escalona, Sen. Mike Gabbard, Sen. Kurt Fevella, Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, Rep. Henry Aquino, Consul General Joselito Jimeno, Sen. Bennette Misalucha, Rep. Val Okimoto, Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Rep. Ryan Yamane, Consul Grace Anne Bulos and AFP Liaison Officer to INDOPACOM Capt. Aldrin Doctor ( Photo from PCG Honolulu)

HONOLULU, 28 May 2021 – State of Hawaii legislators visited the Philippine Consulate General on 25 May 2021 to present to Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno a certified copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) No. 220 S.D. 1 entitled “Recognizing the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines”.    

The legislators include State Senators Bennette Misalucha, Lorraine Inouye, Kurt Fevella, Joy San Buenaventura and Mike Gabbard as well as State Representatives Henry Aquino, Ty Cullen, Val Okimoto and Ryan Yamane.  

Consul General Jimeno thanked the legislators and noted the Philippines’ presence in Hawaii for the past 75 years. The Philippine Consulate was inaugurated in 1946 and moved to its current location at Pali Highway in 1948. The Consul General urged the members of the Filipino Caucus in the State Legislature to encourage more Filipino-Americans to run for public office.Senator Misalucha and Representative Aquino are the co-convenors of the Filipino Caucus

The Resolution acknowledges that Filipino-Americans have helped shape the history of Hawaii and that individuals of Filipino ethnicity make up the largest portion of the State’s population. According to the Resolution, the State Legislature is “committed to exploring opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between the people of Hawaii and the Philippines”.

Representative Aquino expressed the hope that the Philippine Consulate will remain in Hawaii for the next 75 years and more.

The full text of SCR No. 222 S.D. 1 is available at: https://bit.ly/2QZcLiR END

For more information, visit https://honolulupcg.dfa.gov.ph/ and https://www.facebook.com/PHinHonolulu/