02 September 2013 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu awarded a Certificate of Recognition to Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel P. Neves on August 28 at the Consulate.

Chief Neves is the first Chief of Filipino ancestry in the Fire Department’s 163-year history.

Like many Filipinos, Chief Neves can trace his family history in Hawaii to his paternal grandfather, Vicente Parungao. Mr. Parungao, who immigrated from Badoc, Ilocos Norte at a young age, to labor in the cane fields of Kauai.

The simple awarding ceremony was attended by the officers and staff of the Consulate as well as friends and colleagues of the awardee. END