PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

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…

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

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…

Press Release 11 March 2021 Eligible Consulate Personnel Get the Vaccine (L-R) Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate, Theresa Resurreccion and Wilson Ros avail of their 1st dose of the Covid Vaccine at designated facilities in New York and New Jersey.New York City, 11 March  - Eligible Philippine Consulate General in New York personnel, including Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville C. Tate, were among the tri-state residents who availed of the COVID19 vaccine shots made accessible by state governments in the U.S. Northeast.Because of age or other underlying co-morbidities, the Consulate’s staff were deemed eligible for the vaccine, under their respective state’s eligibility criteria. Deputy Consul General Tate started looking for available vaccination slots as soon as he learned he was eligible, and managed to secure one in the early days of March. Other staff members were even more fortunate, having qualified and received the vaccine in February. None of those vaccinated reported any side effects from receiving the vaccine.Mr. Tate stated that he considered the facts around getting and was convinced of the vaccines’ safety and efficacy. “We need everyone, especially in the Filipino and Filipino-American community, who are eligible to immediately secure their spots for getting their vaccination shots”…

Press Release 02 March 2021 The Philippine Consulate General in New YorkKicks Off National Women’s Month Celebration Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in NY wore the color purple in honor of National Women’s Month. (Photo by NYPCCG). 02 March 2021, New York – In support of the strides that women continue to make to achieve gender equality and to recognize the accomplishments of women throughout history, personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) wore the color purple on 01 March, the start of National Women’s Month. Purple has been historically associated with women empowerment.To celebrate Women’s Month, PCGNY invited women in the Fil-Am Community to participate in a contest to share how they empower other women to be agents of change. Winning entries will be featured on PCGNY’s social media by the end of the month. In addition, PCGNY will be holding two virtual events to recognize and honor Fil-Am women: the Distinguished Filipino Women and Fil-Am Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum.“A milestone in women’s empowerment, achieved by the Philippines, in recent history, was when the people elected their first woman president,” said Acting Head of Post, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville C. Tate. “And we are proud…

Press Release 6 February 2021 THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN NEW YORK HOLDS ITS SPECIAL CONSULATE SATURDAY To enforce physical distancing measures, clients are only allowed to proceed to the waiting area in small groups. (Photo by NYPCG) 06 February 2021, New York City – The Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) held a special Consulate Saturday today to accommodate our kababayans whose booked appointments were canceled on 01 and 02 February, as a result of the winter snow storm and in compliance with New York City’s declaration of a state of emergency. A total of 122 (One Hundred Twenty-Two) consular services were rendered.   In support of PCGNY’s efforts, the SSS desk was also open to entertain inquiries on pension and other benefits. The usual COVID-19 health and safety protocols were enforced during the said Consulate Saturday, including wearing face masks, exercising physical distancing, and practicing hand hygiene. For announcements on the schedule of PCGNY’s regular Consulate Saturdays for the year, please regularly visit its official website, www.newyorkpcg.org and its official Facebook Page (https://facebook.comPHLinNY) for updates. PCGNY requires clients to book an appointment by visiting https://newyorkpcg.org/our-services/online-appointment-system. Walk-ins are no longer entertained. END Vice Consul Tanya Faye O. Ramiro…

Press Release 22 January 2021 PR-PPG-002-2021 PH Consul General in New York Completes Tour of Duty 22 January 2021, New York – Consul General Petronila P. Garcia completes her tour of duty at the Philippine Consulate General in New York today and retires from the foreign service after faithfully and ably serving the country and our people for more than 40 years. Consul General Garcia's successful and productive career as diplomat started in 1978 when she joined the Department of Foreign Affairs. Prior to her assignment in New York, she served as the Philippine Ambassador to Canada from January 2014 to September 2020, becoming the first female Philippine Ambassador to Canada since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949. She also served as the Philippine Ambassador to Israel from 2007 to 2011 and the first woman Ambassador assigned by the Philippines to an Arab country, the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent jurisdiction over Sudan from 2004 to 2007. As a young foreign service officer, she served in different capacities in other foreign service posts, as well as in the Home Office in Manila. Consul General Garcia thanks the Filipino-American community in the US Northeast for their support…

Press Release 14 January 2021PR-PPG-001-2021 Philippine Consul General in New York Receives PPE Donation Consul General Petronila P. Garcia (center) receives the donation of face masks and face shields for the Fil-Am community from Mr. Fernando Mendez (left) and Ms. Laura Garcia (right). (Photo by NYPCG) New York, January 14- Consul General Petronila P. Garcia received today a donation of 2,000 face masks and 200 face shields from the National Federation of Filipino American Associations-New York (NaFFAA-NY), represented by State chair Laura Garcia, and Fiesta in America, represented by its president Fernando Mendez. These PPE were solicited by NaFFAA-NY and Fiesta in America from the New York City Mayor's Office for the use of the Filipino-American community.  The donated items will be distributed to Filipinos and clients coming to the Philippine Center who need face mask or face shield.Since the reopening of the Consulate on 12 June 2020 after the lifting of the lockdown in NYC, the wearing of face mask inside the Philippine Center has been made mandatory as advised by health authorities to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Consul General Garcia emphasized the importance of following health protocols, including temperature check and hand sanitizing, when visiting the Philippine…

Press Release 9 December 2020 PR-PPG-007-2020 Filipino Christmas Kicks Off in New York With Simbang Gabi, Parols The glass window display of the Philippine Center in New York brings the warm Filipino Christmas spirit to the Big Apple. (Photo by NYPCG) New York, December 9.- The Filipino community in New York and the entire US Northeast officially started their Christmas celebration with the lighting of the colorful parols and the Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado (Night Mass) at the Philippine Center in New York City on 3 December 2020. Every year, the Philippine Center decorates its windows and lobby with parols (traditional Christmas lanterns) and handcrafted items to bring the spirit of the joyful Filipino Christmas to the Big Apple. The Simbang Gabi, on the other hand, is a nine-day series of masses leading up to Christmas and traditionally celebrated in the hours before dawn. Consul General Petronila P. Garcia led the ceremonial lighting of the first of nine symbolic parols. One parol will be lit every evening, for nine days of the traditional Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado. In her welcome remarks, Consul General Garcia extended her Christmas greetings to the 340,000-strong Filipino-American community in the U.S. Northeast, and thanked them…

Press Release 25 November 2020 PR-PPG-006-2020 The Philippine Consulate General in New York Kicks Off the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in NY wear orange cloth masks, orange being the official color of the anti-Violence Against Women (VAW) Campaign, as a show of support to the cause. (Photo by NYPCCG). 25 November 2020, New York – Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) wore orange face masks in observance of the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW). The campaign began on 25 November, and will end on 12 December.  Orange face masks were also given away to clients during the first day of the campaign.In addition to the masks, information on the campaign along with orange-themed giveaways have been placed at the Philippine Center’s entrance in order to increase public awareness about the 18-day campaign to end VAW.As studies have shown that incidents of gender-based violence increased during the COVID-19 pandemic,[1] the theme, “VAW-free Community Starts With me,” is particularly relevant this year. It is hoped that through this Campaign, everyone acquires a personal stake in ending VAW.“The Philippine Consulate General in New York is committed to…