18 March 2016 - Philippine Consul General to Honolulu Gina Jamoralin thanked retired U.S. Army Major General Antonio Mario Taguba for his work leading the Filipino Veterans and Recognition Project (FILVETREP) advocating and supporting the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act bill filed in the US Congress.

Working together  with the  Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., Office of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C., and all  Philippine Consulates in the U.S., Consul General Jamoralin thanked Gen. Taguba for reaching out  to the various Filipino communities and Filipino veterans groups in the U.S. through the FILVETREP to raise awareness and support for the Filipino WWII Veterans  Congressional Medal Act bill which was sponsored by Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in the House of Representatives. Other US Senators and U.S. Representatives including Senator Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, both from Hawaii co-sponsored the bill in Congress. 

Gen. Taguba was featured as guest speaker during the “Talk Story with Major Gen. Mario Taguba”, an AARP-sponsored event held on March 11 at the Consulate. The AARP is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization with a membership of more than 37 million that helps people, strengthens communities and advocates issues close to the heart of its members such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning.  As AARP community ambassador, Gen. Taguba spoke about his experience in caring for his parents in their old age.

Consul General Jamoralin also urged registered Filipino overseas voters in Hawaii to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming Philippine elections by casting their ballots through mail or in person from April 09 to May 09 (Philippine time) at the Philippine Consulate. She called on Filipino overseas voters to make a difference and contribute to nation-building by helping choose the next President, Vice President, Senators and Party list representatives of the Philippines. END