16 March 2015 – The Philippine Consulate General in Milan held its first mobile consular outreach program for 2015 in Turin, Italy on February 28 and March 01 at the Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista, a Catholic church located at Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The church is  headed by Fr. Giovanni Benna, an Italian priest who served more than 40 years in Cebu and in Calamba, Laguna in the Philippines. Fr. Benna is a staunch supporter of the Filipino community, as demonstrated by his efforts to strengthen the Filipino chaplaincy in Turin which also serves as a community center for all Filipinos in the area and other parts of the Piemonte region.

Philippine Honorary Consul in Turin Maria Grazia Cavallo-Borello was also present at the mobile consular outreach program to show her support to the community.

The Consulate General’s mobile team, consisting of 14 personnel headed by Vice Consul Helen Anne B. Sayo and together with representatives from the Social Security System (SSS), Overseas Workes Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Pag-IBIG, served more than 400 Filipino nationals during the two-day program.

Established in 1861, Turin is Italy's first capital city and is home to the house of Savoy, Italy's historic royal family. The city hosts several monuments and sights showing renaissance, baroque, rococo, neo-classical, and art nouveau architecture. END