17 November 2014 - Around 35 Philippine local government officials who were delegates to the 2014 Conference of Local Governments in Asia-Pacific were treated to Filipino-style hospitality during a lunch reception hosted in their honer by Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Gina A. Jamoralin on November 12.
The delegation was led by Philippines International Sisterhood and Twinning Association (PHISTA) Inc. President and Mayor of San Luis, Aurora Annabelle C. Tangson and composed of municipal mayors across the Philippines, representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government, other local government officials and business and travel sector representatives.
During the lunch reception, Mayor Tangson conveyed their sincerest appreciation for the Consulate General’s warm welcome to the delegates. She also said that they are open to pursue partnerships with the Consulate General and the State of Hawaii on business, trade and tourism between the Philippines and Hawaii.
The 2014 Conference of Local Governments in Asia-Pacific was held from November 09 to 13 in the Hawaii islands of Maui and Oahu with the aim of providing an avenue to promote and sustain friendship, goodwill and understanding among participating local authorities and non-governmental and business organizations, with interest to create sister-city or twinning agreements. It was also an avenue for the delegates to promote international exchange and cooperation in different areas such as tourism, promotion, trade and investment.
During their trip to Maui from November 09 to 10, the delegation met with officials from the Office of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa to learn from Maui’s experiences in promoting tourism and in mitigating natural disasters. They also visited the Pacific Disaster Center, an applied science, information and technology center based in Maui, which works to reduce disaster risks and impacts on life, property, and the economies worldwide.
In Honolulu, members of the delegation joined the Philippine Consulate General in the Veterans Day celebrations hosted by State officials, the US Pacific Command and veterans groups on November 11. The following day, they visited the office of the Hawaii National Guard and were briefed by Major General Darryll Wong Adjutant General, Hawaii National Guard, on updates on the agency’s repair and rehabilitation projects in post- Haiyan Leyte. In the evening, several delegates attended a dinner reception hosted by the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii at the Philippine Consulate General. END