02 October 2014 - Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro met with the Filipino association leaders of the Filipino community in Padova on September 28. The meeting was organized by the Associazione Donne Filippine of Padova. Padova is home to more than 2,000 Filipinos and is about 273 km distance from Milan.

The Consul General briefed the Filipino community on the changes in the passport regulations and mobile consular service of the Consulate General. She explained the procedures and requirements in addressing various consular needs. There were queries on Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) policies and Social Security System (SSS) benefits which prompted for an open forum to be conducted on October 26 during the scheduled mobile consular service in Padova.

The various Filipino associations in Padova regularly organize activities, such as medical and dental missions, calamity fund raising, youth council development, financial literacy seminar and promotion of Filipino culture. The Consul General commended their efforts and encouraged them to continue conducting these activities. The Filipino community contribute to the development of Philippines-Italian relations in Padova and the Veneto Region through their civic and cultural programs which make the Filipinos a well known migrant group in the city and region.

Padova is a city in the Veneto region of northern Italy and is the economic and communications hub in the region.  It hosts the renowned University of Padua, which is almost 800 years old, and famous for having had Galileo Galilei among its professors. END