18 May 2016 -  ABS-CBN Foundation International and TFC  executives visited the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu and paid a courtesy call on Consul General Gina Jamoralin.

The delegation was in Honolulu to participate in the 2016 Philippine Fiesta and Parade held on May 14 at Kapiolani Park along Waikiki beach.  The delegation was composed of  Mr. Louis Benedict Bennett, Managing Director, and Ms. Alma Magsombol, Development Manager, both from ABS-CBN Foundation International; Ms. Malou Garcia, Head Dealer Management, North America, TFC; and  Ms. Keesa Ocampo, Corporate Affairs Lifestyle Network, TFC.

Consul General Jamoralin briefed the delegation of the activities and projects of the Philippine Consulate  including the  milestone event organized by the Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino community in Hawaii on December 20, 2015 which was the 1^st “Sakada Day”  celebration to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipino plantation workers or “sakadas” in Hawaii on December 20, 1906 which was enshrined in Hawaii’s state law passed by Hawaii State parliament and signed into law  by Hawaii State  Governor  David Ige on April 9, 2015.

ABS-CBN officials expressed interest to help promote awareness of this historic and unique  annual celebration  honoring the  memory of the pioneering Filipino sakadas in Hawaii  to all the Filipinos in the United States. As a token of appreciation,  Consul General Jamoralin gave ABS-CBN a copy of a DVD film  entitled, “Mabuhay with Aloha: The Hawaii Filipino Experience (1906-2006)” produced by the Hawaii Filipino Centennial Commission of 2006 and Ms. Emme Tomimbang, a Filipino writer  and  a sakada descendant.

ABS-CBN and TFC officials offered to collaborate with the Philippine Consulate General in organizing this year’s Sakada Day celebration and in other worthwhile projects of the Consulate such as the Ilokano Language and Immersion Program II (I-Laing II), 1^st Rizaliana Course on June 18 to 19 and the forthcoming 2^nd  Philippine Food Festival on June 5 to 11 at Hawaii Prince Hotel. They acknowledged that these projects also  dovetailed with their advocacy to reach out to the 3^rd and 4^th generation of Filipino-Americans. The ABS-CBN Foundation also briefed the Consul General of the Foundation’s  humanitarian  projects and expressed interest on possible cooperation with the  Philippine Consulate during disasters and humanitarian crises. 

Consul General Jamoralin thanked them for their expressions of support and promised to keep ABS-CBN International which is based in California, abreast of Philippine Consulate General’s future projects and Filipino community activities in Hawaii. END