04 October 2014 – Philippine Consul General Marciano R. De Borja visited the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) on October 01 to meet with General Manager Karl Anthony Pangelinan and Deputy General Manager Jon Nathan Denight to discuss possible areas of cooperation in tourism promotion between the Philippines and Guam.

As part of the Consulate General’s efforts to establish strong connections with the host government of and local community in Guam, Consul General De Borja highlighted his visit to the GVB with the signing of the Hafa Adai Pledge (HAP) program, a cornerstone of the Guam Visitors Bureau’s local community branding campaign.

The HAP campaign was started in 2009 and has grown steadily in the number of participants, as well as in the content of individual pledges. To date, over 300 private businesses, government agencies, non-profits and other organizations have joined the Hafa Adai Pledge program, which was designed to evoke the spirit and culture of this island community.

To support the GVB’s Hafa Adai campaign, the Consulate General committed to promote the cultural identities of Guam and the Philippines by greeting clients, answering telephone calls and using signage with the customary greetings of “Mabuhay and Hafa Adai!”

Apart from this, the Consular Area will also be displaying Chamorro and Philippine artwork, while Consulate General personnel will be wearing Filipiniana every Monday and island wear every Friday.

The Philippine Consulate General’s participation in the Hafa Adai campaign is a way to actively highlight the cultural affinity and traditions of the Philippines and Guam. END