Press Release

01 August 2023

Philippine Consulate General New York Successfully Concludes 25th Paaralan Sa Konsulado

The Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) successfully concluded the 25th annual “Paaralan sa Konsulado” (PSK) on 29 July 2023 at the Philippine Center, New York.

Paaralan sa Konsulado is a joint project of PCGNY and the Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America (AFTA) Inc. that was started in 1998, intended as a summer workshop where Filipino American children, ages 6 to 15, get to learn about Filipino culture and heritage. For four consecutive Saturdays, children were taught conversational Filipino language, history, Filipino Values, Philippine dances, songs, art, and games.

The children who took part in the current workshop presented colorful songs and dances learned during the duration of the PSK. Present at the culminating activity were the parents, past and present AFTA volunteer teachers, AFTA volunteer students, PSK alumni, and Consulate officials.  END

Deputy Consul General Adrian S. Cruz in his closing remarks thanked the Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America Inc. for their enduring partnership with the Philippine Consulate in promoting Filipino culture, language and the arts through the Paaralan sa Konsulado. (Philippine Consulate General Photo by Jose Magaso)
Students of the Paaralan sa Konsulado perform a Philippine folk dance during the Culminating Program of the 25th Paaralan sa Konsulado (Philippine Consulate General Photo by Jose Magaso).
Ms. Mian Catalano-Conde, an alumni of the Paaralan sa Konsulado, shared her thoughts when she joined the summer workshop. “Each week we learned together and I had very fond memories,” she said. She advised the young participants to “allow the Paaralan sa Konsulado to be the place where you fall in love with Filipino culture, the games, the language, the stories, the dances, music, martial arts, history, food and arts and craft.” (Philippine Consulate General Photo by Jose Magaso).
The Paaralan sa Konsulado students pose for a souvenir photo together with their parents, Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America teacher- and student-volunteers, Philippine Consulate officials and PSK alumni during the culminating event of the 25th Paaralan sa Konsulado at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center New York. (Philippine Consulate General Photo by Jose Magaso)