PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

Mga Minamahal Naming Kababayan,

 

It is my honor to inform the members of the Filipino Community that I have assumed as Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in New York. Like those who have served here before me, I will do everything I can to ensure that your Consulate General will remain responsive to your needs.

 

Aside from improving the delivery of consular services within the limitations brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, I will be working with the men and women of your Consulate General and other partners inside and outside of our community in ensuring the well-being of our kababayan in New York and in the other areas under our jurisdiction.

 

As we all know, the Filipino Community has been hit hard by the coronavirus but even as we struggle to cope with the effects of the pandemic, we suddenly find ourselves confronted with another challenge—hate crimes and other types of race-based violence.

It is really unfortunate that kababayan in New York and other parts of the United States have been caught in this maelstrom along with other Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. In New York alone, the number of hate crimes against the Asian-American Community rose eight-fold from January to November 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The figures do not include recent incidents that involved some of our own.

 

On Monday, we saw how our 65-year-old kababayan, Vilma Kari, was violently assaulted by a former convict while on her way to church in Manhattan. A few weeks earlier, 61-year-old Noel Quintana was slashed on the face while riding the subway also in Manhattan. There are other incidents of similar violence inflicted on Filipinos and other members of the Asian-American Community. Sadly, many of these incidents went unreported.

 

This Lenten Season, we call on our kababayan to reflect and remember the significance of treating one another as fellow human beings. We are reminded of Jesus Christ’s example of service, sacrifice, and struggle against injustice. Our culture, traditions, and history are deeply influenced by His example, and our steadfast faith in God allows us to persevere in our constant quest for a just and humane society.

 

And as we pray for an end to hate, racism, and discrimination, we also urge our kababayan to do their share. We call on all Filipinos who experience or witness any hate crime to immediately dial 911 to report the incident. We also urge Filipino victims or those who know of Filipino victims to immediately get in touch with us at the Consulate General so we could render assistance.

 

Hinihikayat po namin ang ating mga kababayan na ipaalam kaagad sa amin ang mga insidente ng hate crimes para mabigyan din po namin ang biktima ng kaukulang tulong. Ang aming hotline ay +1 (917) 239-4118. Maaari din po ninyong ipaalam sa amin sa pamamagitan ng pag email sa newyorkpcg.atn@dfa.gov.ph.

 

In these trying times, the Consulate General of the Philippines would like to assure our kababayan in New York and those in other states under our jurisdiction that we remain fully committed in looking after their well-being.

 

Isang Mapagpalang Semana Santa sa Ating Lahat!

 

Mabuhay ang Sambayanang Filipino!