Restrictions on Travel of Balikbayans to the Philippines Lifted

ADVISORY No. 11-2021 30 April 2021 RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL OF BALIKBAYAN TO THE PHILIPPINES LIFTED Effective Saturday, 1 May 2021, kababayan in the United States who are covered by the Balikbayan Program, under Republic Act No. 6768, can now again travel to the Philippines. Resolution 113 of the the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) dated 29 April 2021 will now allow travel to the Philippines of former Filipino citizens, together with their foreign spouses and children, regardless of age, who are traveling with them as well as Filipino citizens’ foreign spouses and children, regardless of age, who are traveling with them. Foreign nationals allowed under previous IATF resolutions can now also travel to the Philippines as long as they are in possession of a valid and existing visa at the time of entry, except for those qualified under the aforementioned Balikbayan Program. Balikbayan and other foreign nationals who are planning to travel to the Philippines are required to have pre-booked accommodations for at least seven nights in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility and will have to undergo coronavirus disease testing at the quarantine hotel/facility on the sixth day from date of arrival. All travelers are subject to maximum capacity of…

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Filipino Fallen Heroes, Front Liners Honored at 79th Commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan in New Jersey

Press Release 12 April 2021 Filipino Fallen Heroes, Front Liners Honored at 79th Commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan in New Jersey (R-L) Consul General Elmer G. Cato, Ms. Nida Imperial of the Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia (FECGP)and Deputy Consul General Arman R. Talbo during the 79th Commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan at the Bataan Death March Memorial in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. (Photo by PCGNY) 12 April 2021, New York – The Philippine Consulate General in New York paid homage to the bravery and sacrifices of Filipinos who fought in the Second World War and the estimated 150,000 Filipino healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic in the United States during the 79th Commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan on Saturday, 10 April 2021. Consul General Elmer Cato said in his remarks that “The events that transpired almost seven decades ago still echoes to this day as both Filipinos and Americans fight a common enemy, and through this shared history of comradeship, our ties are made strong like tempered steel,” during ceremonies at the Bataan Death March Memorial. He said that Filipino healthcare workers today have displayed the same Kagitingan as they fight a similar threat that endangers the lives…

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IBF Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas Calls on Philippine Consul General Elmer Cato

Press Release 15 April 2021 IBF Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas Calls on Philippine Consul General Elmer Cato (L) IBF Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas and (R) Consul General Elmer G. Cato 15 April 2021, New York - International Boxing Federation Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas paid a courtesy call on Consul General Elmer G. Cato after successfully defending his title against Mexican challenger, Jonathan Rodriguez, on Saturday, 10 April 2021, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. It was the 29-year old Ancajas’ ninth successful defense of the belt, which he won in 2016.Featherweight boxer Mark Magsayo who also knocked down his Nicaraguan opponent Pablo Cruz, was also present during the call. During the meeting, Consul General Cato took the opportunity to apprise the group on the Asian Hate situation in New York and nearby areas and informed them of the efforts of the consulate to assist our kababayan. He also congratulated the two boxers on their victories and offered the support of the Consulate and the Filipino community in their future fights.- END (L-R) Consul General Elmer G. Cato, IBF Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas, Featherweight boxer Mark Magsayoand Deputy Consul General Arman R. Talbo during the courtesy call at the Philippine Center in…

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NOTICE OF HEARING: RERB Hearing on the Applications for Registration/Certification as Overseas Voters to Convene on 19 April 2021

Announcement 8 April 2021 RESIDENT ELECTION REGISTRATION BOARD CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NEW YORK, N.Y., U.S.A. NOTICE OF HEARING RERB Hearing on the Applications for Registration/Certification as Overseas Voters to Convene on 19 April 2021 Pursuant to Section 20, Rule V of COMELEC Resolution No. 10167 promulgated on 28 October 2016, the Philippine Consulate General in New York wishes to inform the public that it will conduct a Hearing on the Applications for Registration/Certification as Overseas Voters for the period 01 January 2021 – 31 March 2021 on: Date: 19 April 2021 Time: 3:00 p.m. Venue: Philippine Consulate General              3rd Floor, Board Room              556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036 All objections/opposition against the names in the list below may be filed not later than 12 April 2021. Only Opposition on valid grounds will be entertained. Thank you. 

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Message During the Stop Crimes Against Asians, Stop Crimes Against All Rally

Message of the Consul General During the Stop Crimes Against Asians, Stop Crimes Against All Rally 5 April 2021 *This message was read on behalf of Consul General Elmer G. Cato by Mr. Phil Wong, President of the Chinese-American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York during the Stop Crime Against Asians, Stop Crime Against All Rally at the Criminal Court, 100 Centre Street, New York on 5 April 2021. "EVERYONE BELONGS HERE" I would like to thank the Chinese-American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York (CACAGNY) for organizing this rally to demand justice for Vilma Kari, the 65-year old Filipino mother who was violently assaulted while she was walking to church in Manhattan exactly a week ago today. All of us saw how Brandon Elliot, a 38-year-old convict who is out on parole for killing his own mother, kicked the helpless Vilma without provocation and stomped on her face while yelling at her “You don’t belong here!” I can see in Vilma the face of my own mother and other elderly Asian women living in New York, who, due to the recent spate of violence against Asians, would not even want to leave the safety of their homes anymore for fear that…

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Lenten Message

Message of the Consul General Lenten Message 1 April 2021 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…

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Statement on the Arrest of Suspect in Violent Assault on 65-Year-Old Filipina in Manhattan

ADVISORY No. 10-2021 31 March 2021 STATEMENT ON THE ARREST OF SUSPECT IN VIOLENT ASSAULT ON 65-YEAR-OLD FILIPINA IN MANHATTAN The Consulate General of the Republic of the Philippines in New York welcomes the arrest this morning of the suspect in the violent assault of a 65-year-old Filipina in Midtown Manhattan on Monday. We thank the New York Police Department (NYPD) and all those who, in one way or another, contributed to the efforts that led to the arrest of Brandon Elliot. In view of the alarming surge in hate crimes against members of the Asian Community in the United States, the Consulate General would like to remind our kababayans in New York and surrounding areas to remain vigilant and to immediately report any incident by calling 911 or the Asian Hate Crimes Task Force of the NYPD at 1-800-440-HATE.

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Former Philippine Envoy to Libya is now Consul General in New York

Press Release 30 March 2021 Former Philippine Envoy to Libya is now Consul General in New York Journalist-diplomat, Mr. Elmer G. Cato, is now the Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General in New York. 30 March 2021, New York – Journalist-diplomat, Elmer G. Cato, officially assumed today as Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in New York. A career diplomat with the rank of Chief of Mission Class II, Consul General Cato succeeds Consul General Petronila P. Garcia who retired in January. Consul General Cato arrived this afternoon from Libya where he served for two years as Chargé d’Affaires, e.p. and Head of Mission of the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli. A journalist before joining the foreign service, Consul General Cato had served in various capacities in the Philippines and abroad in the past 22 years. His first overseas posting was at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations from 2003 to 2010 where he also served as a member of the Philippine Delegation to the UN Security Council from 2004 to 2005. Consul General Cato was assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. from 2012 until he volunteered to go to Iraq where…

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PH Consulate General Hosts Pag-IBIG and SSS Webinar

Press Release 29 March 2021 PH Consulate General Hosts Pag-IBIG and SSS Webinar (Top-bottom, L-R) Consul Arman R. Talbo, Pag-IBIG Marketing Officer Ana Karina Z. Ortiz and SSS NY Representative Celenia Dimaano-Lacro. (Photo by NYPCG) 29 March 2021, New York – The Philippine Consulate General in New York hosted a virtual event entitled Pag-IBIG Fund and SSS Webinar for Filipinos in the US Northeast last Friday, 26 March 2021 at 7PM (EDT). The webinar featured two speakers, namely: Ms. Ana Karina Z. Ortiz, Marketing Officer – Virtual Office – New York, Pag-IBIG Fund International Operations Group and Ms. Celenia Dimaano-Lacro, SSS New York Representative. They provided presentations on the programs and benefits that their respective offices offer to overseas Filipinos. After the presentations of the speakers, Fil-Am community members in the US northeast who joined the webinar via Zoom and through the New York PCG’s Facebook page /PHLinNY were given the opportunity to ask questions which were answered directly by the resource persons. The virtual event was moderated by Consul Arman R. Talbo. – END

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Philippine Consulate General Honors Distinguished Filipino Women in New York

Press Release 19 March 2021 Philippine Consulate General Honors Distinguished Filipino Women in New York New York, 19 March 2021 – In celebration of National Women’s Month, the Philippine Consulate General in New York honored and featured five remarkable and accomplished Filipino-American women – an entrepreneur, a software engineer, a White House media specialist, an award-winning director/producer, and an Emmy-nominated news anchor - at a virtual event dubbed as “An Evening with Distinguished Filipino Women” on Thursday, 18 March 2021. The women powerhouse, comprised of Juliette’s CEO, Founder Rechelle Balanzat, Tumblr software engineer Diana Kris Navarro, White House Press Assistant Angela Perez, “Yellow Rose” film director/producer Diane Paragas, and NBC10 Boston and NECN anchor/reporter Joy Lim Nakrin, shared their inspiration in choosing their respective careers. They also related the challenges and opportunities they faced personally and professionally as Filipino-American women in breaking glass ceilings, making their voices heard, and achieving success in their chosen fields. News anchor Ms. Nakrin, who moderated the panel discussion, acknowledged that holding the Distinguish Filipino Women Forum during this time when Asian-American communities are under attack is an important way to honor Philippine heritage, history and culture, embrace Filipino-American identity, as well as strengthen and…

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