PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

Press Release EGC-016-20221 March 2022 SENTRO RIZAL NEW YORK LAUNCHES BAYANI SERIES Sentro Rizal New York, under the auspices of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, officially began its cultural diplomacy initiatives with the maiden episode of its “Bayani Series” on Friday, 18 February. This first episode gives a glimpse of the social life of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, and how his interactions with fellow reformists have influenced and enriched his way of thinking, and shaped the hero that he came to be. (Flyer by Mae Ermita Manubay) NEW YORK - Sentro Rizal New York, under the auspices of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, officially began its cultural diplomacy initiatives with the maiden episode of its “Bayani Series” on Friday, 18 February.Entitled “Rizal in the Company of Heroes: The Adventures of Rizal Among the Filipino Reformists,” Assistant Professor Augusto V. de Viana of the History Department of the University of Santo Tomas who is a member of the technical panel for history of the Commission on Higher Education and the co-founder of the International Council for Historical and Cultural Cooperation in Southeast Asia, served as resource person. During his presentation, Assistant Professor de Viana first gave…

Photo Release EGC-061-20221 March 2022 NEW YORK ASSEMBLYMAN CYMBROWITZ WELCOMES DISCUSSION WITH PCGNY New York Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz has welcomed the efforts of the Philippine Consulate General to reach out and meet leaders of the State Assembly and other officials. The Brooklyn legislator met virtually with Consul General Elmer G. Cato on 22 February 2022. In that meeting, Consul General Cato expressed the Consulate’s desire to strengthen its relations with local officials. (Photo by Margarita Manubay)

Press Release EGC-015-202228 February 2022 US CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER WELCOMES PCGNY OUTREACH EFFORTS Reverend Alfred Charles Sharpton (rightmost) expressses his interest to bring communities together during the courtesy call of Consul General Elmer G. Cato (third from left) at the National Action Network Office in Times Square on Wednesday, 23 February 2022. Also in the photo are Michael A. Hardy, General Counsel of the National Action Network (leftmost) and Vice Consul Tanya Faye O. Ramiro (Photo by National Action Network staff) NEW YORK - American civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton has applauded the efforts of the Philippine Consulate General in New York to reach out to other communities to address the surge in hate crimes. The American civil rights activist, who is also one of the leaders of the African-American Community in the United States, welcomed the Consulate's initiative to encourage dialogue among those affected by racism and bias during a courtesy call by Consul General Elmer G. Cato."We can only combat hate if all communities stand united against hate," Consul General Elmer G. Cato told Reverend Sharpton during their meeting at the National Action Network (NAN) office in New York City on Wednesday, 23 February 2022.Consul Genera Cato requested…

Press Release EGC-014-2022 26 February 2022 WORLD-CLASS FILIPINO CHOCOLATE BRAND MAKING ITS MARK IN NEW YORK Mark Mendoza Ocampo, co-founder and Managing Director of Auro Chocolate, the internationally awarded premium bean-to-bar chocolate brand of the Philippines, describes to Consul General Elmer G. Cato the variety of chocolates the company offers during a courtesy call at the Philippine Consulate General in New York on Wednesday, 16 February. (Photo by Tanya Faye O. Ramiro) NEW YORK - Auro Chocolate, the internationally awarded premium bean-to-bar chocolate brand, proudly made in the Philippines, is making headway in New York City.  Auro Chocolate Co-founder and Managing Director Mark Mendoza Ocampo has expressed the company’s desire to strengthen its presence in the American market during a courtesy call on Consul General Elmer G. Cato at the Philippine Consulate General in New York on Wednesday, 16 February. “We are now in search of bigger distributors for Auro here in the United States.” Mendoza said.  Committed to empowering cacao farmers in the Philippines, Auro Chocolate has been partnering directly with farms and cooperatives. The Filipino confectionary brand currently supplies to over 30 countries worldwide, including the United States. “Cacao has been in the Philippines for over 300 years…

Press Release EGC-013-202225 February 2022 PILI OIL-INFUSED PHILIPPINE SKIN CARE LINE OFFERS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO NEW YORKERS PILI OIL-INFUSED PHILIPPINE SKIN CARE LINE PENETRATES US MARKET: Ana Amigo Antonio (left), the North American representative of Pili Ani, explains the benefits of Pili Ani’s skincare products to Consul General Elmer G. Cato (center) during the latter’s visit at a pop-up store in SoHo on Thursday, 10 February. Pili Ani, a pioneering Filipino skincare line is the only brand in the world that uses pili and elemi oils in all of its beauty products. These oils are extracted from Pili trees that can only grow in Bicol. (Photo by Tanya Faye O. Ramiro) NEW YORK - A pioneering Philippine skincare line established six years ago and the only brand in the world that uses pili and elemi oils in all its beauty products has been successfully penetrating the United States market.Pili Ani has been making its presence felt in the US since it debuted on the popular Home Shopping Network Channel last year. Just recently, it began its efforts to reach out to more New Yorkers with its recent pop-up store in SoHo during New York Fashion Week.Ana Amigo Antonio, Pili Ani’s…

Press Release EGC-012-202225 February 2022 PCG NEW YORK WELCOMES ADDED PROTECTION FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS NEW YORK - The Philippine Consulate General in New York has welcomed the expanded protection that Filipinos and other domestic workers who live or work in New York City will now enjoy as a result of recent initiatives by local and state authorities. “The Philippine Consulate General welcomes these positive developments that will improve employment security and enhance work benefits of kababayan employed in the household service industry,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said in a statement. The Consul General was referring to two recent legislations signed into law by New York Governor Kathleen Hochul and then New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio last year. The landmark law signed by Governor Hochul on 31 December 2021 legally considers domestic workers as “employees” for all intents and purposes under the New York State Human Rights Law while Intro 39 signed by then Mayor Bill de Blasio on 25 August 2021, extends anti-discrimination protections to domestic workers of New York City. Domestic workers are individuals employed at a home or residence as housekeepers, nannies, home healthcare aides, or similar positions. A person does not need to live with their employer to…

Press Release EGC-011-202225 February 2022 NEW YORK CITY’S TRAILBLAZING DEPUTY MAYOR WANTS TO RECONNECT WITH HER FILIPINO ROOTS FIL-AM DEPUTY MAYOR TORRES-SPRINGER MEETS CONGEN CATO. New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, Maria Torres-Springer, listens to Consul General Elmer G. Cato speak about the Philippine Consulate’s initiatives towards strengthening Filipino community empowerment during the latter’s courtesy call on Monday, 07 February 2022 at the City Hall. (Photo by Beverly Pellosis) NEW YORK - Maria Torres-Springer, the Filipina-American deputy mayor of New York who was put in charge of ensuring the economic recovery of the city in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is looking forward to reconnecting with her roots. As Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, Torres-Springer is considered to be one of the most powerful Filipino-Americans in the United States Northeast. She was among the first officials to be appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he won his election bid in December. Saying she has been away for a long time, the 44-year-old daughter of Filipino immigrants expressed her desire to visit the Philippines again soon with her husband and their two daughters. Born in Los Angeles, Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer’s father was from…

Press Release EGC-010-2022 6 February 2022 FILIPINOS COUNTING ON NEW YORK CITY MAYOR IN MAKING STREETS SAFE AGAIN COURTESY CALL. New York City Commissioner for International Affairs, Edward A. Mermelstein pays a courtesy call on Consul General Elmer G. Cato at the Philippine Consulate General in New York on Thursday, 03 February 2022 to give assurance that addressing anti-Asian hate is a top priority of Mayor Eric Adams. (Photo by Marianne Olfindo) NEW YORK—Filipinos are counting on New York City Mayor Eric Adams in making the streets safe again by addressing homelessness and mental health issues that have contributed to the surge in anti-Asian hate violence against Filipinos and other members of the Asian-American Community in the past year.   This was personally conveyed to New York City Commissioner for International Affairs Edward A. Mermelstein during a courtesy call on Consul General Elmer G. Cato at the Philippine Consulate General on Thursday, 03 February 2022. “We welcome the plans of Mayor Adams to address homelessness and mental health as these concerns are inextricably linked to the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents in New York City,” Consul General Cato said. During the meeting, Consul General Cato said he is hoping to…

Press Release EGC-009-2022 3 February 2022 NEW YORK PCG CONSTITUTES OVERSEAS ELECTION TEAMS Consul General Elmer G. Cato (far left) swear in members of of the Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) led by Consul Ricarte Abejuela III (2nd from left). New York, 3 February 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in New York has constituted and sworn in the members of the various teams that will oversee the participation of kababayan in the United States northeast in the national elections in the Philippines scheduled on 9 May 2022.  Consul General Elmer G. Cato swore in the various members of the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) and the Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) who will ensure the successful conduct of overseas voting that will begin on 9 April 2022.  Consul General Cato said approximately 39,000 registered overseas voters within the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in New York are expected to participate in this year’s elections. Registered overseas voters will select the President, Vice President, Senators, and Party-List Representatives for the next term via postal voting. Consul General Cato said ballots will be mailed to registered voters before 9 April 2022 and should be received…

Press Release EGC-008-2022 25 January 2022 PCG NEW YORK WELCOMES ESTABLISHMENT OF HIRAYA FOUNDATION Consul General Elmer G. Cato (far left) swears in the Hiraya Foundation's Board of Directors (L-R) Dr. Romulo Aromin, Jr., Dr. Dely Go, Atty. Lawrence Ira Safran, Ms. Nora Galleros, and Mr. Jovito Rabelas. (Photo by Marianne Olfindo) New York, 25 January 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in New York has welcomed the establishment of the Hiraya Foundation for Filipino-American Heritage Preservation, a non-profit organization that aims to promote and preserve Filipino heritage in the United States and in the Philippines.  “We are truly heartened see kababayan mobilizing themselves in support of our call for more efforts to preserve our identity and culture in the United States,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said after inducting the five pioneering board members of the Hiraya Foundation at the Philippine Center on Monday.  “We look forward to working with the Hiraya Foundation in promoting and preserving our heritage through the establishment of the first Filipino cultural center in our part of the United States,” Consul General Cato said.  Inducted were Dr. Romulo Alcalde Aromin, Jr., Chairman of the Board and President; Dr. Dely Po Go, President-Elect; Atty. Lawrence…