American Jewish Committee Cited for ‘Odette’ Relief Aid

Press Release EGC-007-2022 12 January 2022 AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE CITED FOR 'ODETTE' RELIEF AID The American Jewish Committee (AJC) supports relief mission in Philippines affected by Typhoon Odette. (Photo via www.ajc.org) New York, 12 January 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in New York has expressed its appreciation to the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for the assistance extended to the victims of Typhoon Odette, which devastated parts of Central and Southern Philippines last month. Typhoon Odette, which is considered the third costliest typhoon in the Philippines, left more than 400 dead, displaced thousands and caused more than P39.3 billion in damage in various parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.   “On behalf of a grateful people, we thank the American Jewish Committee and IsraAID for again coming to the assistance of the Philippines,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said in his letter to Director Shira Loewenberg of the AJC Asia Pacific Institute.  “Your continued assistance to the Filipino people during natural disasters is indeed a reflection of the Jewish value of tikkun olam – that whoever saves a life is considered by scripture to have saved the whole world,” Consul General Cato added. This was the fourth time in recent memory that…

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PCG New York Hopes to See Decline in Hate Incidents in 2022

Press Release EGC-006-202210 January 2022 PCG NEW YORK HOPES TO SEE DECLINE IN HATE INCIDENTS IN 2022 Consul General Elmer G. Cato joined Sen. Chuck Schumer and other officials in an emergency press conference organized by the Asian-American Federation on 19 August 2021 in response to the latest anti-Asian hate incidents involving two leaders of the Filipino Community in New York. (Photo by Beverly Pellosis) New York, 10 January 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in New York is hoping to see a downtrend in hate crimes and other incidents that have targeted members of the Asian-American Community with the assumption of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer who promised to make the streets safe again.“We are one with the Asian-American Community in expressing hope that under the leadership of Mayor Adams, the streets of New York City will once again be safe for everyone,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said.“We fully support the plans of Mayor Adams to not only ensure that every District Attorney’s Office would have a robust hate crime unit but to also increase the resources of the Asian Hate Crimes Task Force of the New York City Police Department (NYPD),” Consul…

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PCG New York and Knights of Rizal Commemorate Rizal Day

Photo Release EGC-010-2022 7 January 2022 PCG NEW YORK AND KNIGHTS OF RIZAL COMMEMORATE RIZAL DAY Consul General Elmer G. Cato, and officers of the Knights of Rizal Eastern Region, led by Atty. Ferdinand Suba, take part in a rose ceremony to mark the 125th anniversary of the martyrdom of national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal at the Philippine Center on Thursday, 06 January 2022 (Photo by Margarita Ermita-Manubay) Photo Release EGC-011-20227 January 2022 Atty. Ferdinand Suba, Trustee of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Rizal, lead other members of the Knights of Rizal Eastern Region in offering long stem white roses at the bust of Dr. Jose P. Rizal at the Philippine Center on Thursday, 06 January 2022 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the martyrdom of the national hero. (Photo by Margarita Ermita-Manubay) Photo Release EGC-012-20227 January 2022 Consul General Elmer G. Cato (6th from left), Atty. Ferdinand Suba, Trustee of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Rizal (4th from left), and Chairman Arsenio J. Lizaso of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (5th from left), and other members of the Knights of Rizal Eastern Region gather before the Sentro Rizal marker following the inauguration…

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Sentro Rizal in New York Inaugurated

Press Release EGC-005-2022 6 January 2022  SENTRO RIZAL IN NEW YORK INAUGURATED Consul General Elmer G. Cato (second from right), and Chairperson Arsenio J. Lizaso of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (second from left) unveil the Sentro Rizal marker at the Philippine Center on Thursday, 06 January 2022. Witnessing the event are Ms. Maria Luisa Tinio Bayot, a descendant of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, and Deputy Consul General Arman R. Talbo. The Sentro Rizal New York is the 36th such center in the world, and the 7th in the United States. It will be at the forefront of cultural diplomacy efforts of the Consulate at the United States northeast. (Photo by Federico A. Silao, Jr.) New York, 06 January 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in New York received a big boost in its cultural diplomacy efforts with the inauguration of the Sentro Rizal at the Philippine Center in Manhattan on Thursday, 6 January 2021.The Sentro Rizal New York was launched in simple ceremonies led by Consul General Elmer G. Cato and Chairperson Arsenio J. Lizaso of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and attended by members of the Filipino Community. “Sentro Rizal serves as a…

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Filipina-American Named Deputy Mayor of New York City

Press Release EGC-004-20225 January 2022 FILIPINA-AMERICAN NAMED DEPUTY MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY Filipino-American Maria Torres-Springer, third from right, was among five deputy mayors appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to help him govern the largest city in the United States. New York, 05 January 2022 - A 44-year-old daughter of immigrants from the Philippines is one of two Asian-Americans who took their seats as deputy mayor of the largest city in the United States.  Maria Torres-Springer officially assumed her position as Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding of New York City on Monday. She is the first Filipino-American to occupy such an important position.Torres-Springer took office two weeks after she was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams who gave her the task of overseeing New York City’s recovery from the economic fallout brought about by the coranavirus pandemic. Torres-Springer was among five deputy mayors appointed by Adams following his election victory last month. Also appointed was  Meera Joshi, a civil servant of South Asian descent, who was named Deputy Mayor for Operations. “We join the Filipino Community in New York in congratulating one of our own on her assumption as deputy mayor of one of the more important cities…

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Former Youth Leader is First Filipino to Win City Council Bid in MA

Press Release EGC-003-2022 5 January 2022 FORMER YOUTH LEADER IS FIRST FILIPINO TO WIN CITY COUNCIL BID IN NEW ENGLAND Former youth leader, Constantino "Coco" Alinsug, seated first from left, joins other elected City Council officials of Lyn, Massachusetts. New York, 05 January 2022 - A former youth leader in the Philippines has earned for himself the distinction of being the first Filipino to be elected to a city council seat in New England, the Philippine Consulate General in New York reported. Constantino “Coco” Alinsug, 50, was sworn in on Monday after winning his bid for a seat in the City Council of Lynn, Massachusetts, in elections held in November. He represents Ward 3 in the city, located 15 minute north of Boston. Alinsug, who is a community worker and LGBT rights advocate, is also the first openly gay political candidate to make it to the city council. He previously served as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. “Your feat is worthy of commendation as you are one of a few Filipinos who have been successful in their political aspirations here in the United States,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said in a letter of congratulations sent to…

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Despite Omicron Threat, PCG New York to Continue Serving Public

Press Release EGC-002-2022 5 January 2022 DESPITE OMICRON THREAT, PCG NEW YORK TO CONTINUE SERVING PUBLIC New York, 05 January 2022 - Despite the record-breaking surge in coronavirus cases in New York, the Philippine Consulate General said it would do everything it can to ensure the continued delivery of consular services to members of the Filipino Community in the United States northeast.“Even with the omicron variant wreaking havoc in New York and other parts of the United States, we can be counted upon to continue serving our kababayan,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said shortly after the United States reported 1 million coronavirus cases—the highest reported by a country in a single day since the pandemic broke out in 2020.“We would like to assure our kababayan that we will exert all efforts to not only keep our consular operations going the way we did in the past year but also in improving the way we deliver these services,” he said.Although the omicron threat had forced the Consulate to cancel several scheduled cultural events last month and implement stricter coronavirus protocols for the public, Consul General Cato said consular services have not been scaled down.In fact, the Consulate is expecting to…

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Consular Services Extended by PCG New York Up 70% in 2021

Press Release EGC-001-20223 January 2022 CONSULAR SERVICES EXTENDED BY PCG NEW YORK UP 70% IN 2021 New York, 03 January 2022 - Despite the continuing threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine Consulate General in New York was able to increase the number of consular services it extended to the public by 70 percent in 2021 compared to the same period the previous year.Consul General Elmer G. Cato shared the figures during his monthly Pag-Usapan Natin virtual townhall meeting with members of the Filipino Community in the 10 United States northeast states under the Consulate’s jurisdiction on 29 December 2021.It could be noted that in 2020, the Consulate was forced to drastically reduce the number of services it could extend to the public after New York City authorities issued strict protocols in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.Consul General Cato said the Consulate had to do address the growing backlog as a result of the surge in demand for passport and other consular services from members of the Filipino Community.“As a result of our decision to return to normal operations in the second quarter, we were able to expand the number of services we extended from 16,792…

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The Philippine Consulate General in New York Kicks Off the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence

Press Release 22 November 2021 The Philippine Consulate General in New York Kicks Off the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women The Philippine Consulate General in New York, led by Consul General Elmer G. Cato, wore orange, the official color of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, which symbolizes a brighter future free of violence. (Photo by Marvin Dimaculangan) NEW YORK – Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in New York donned orange during the first Monday of the campaign to end Violence Against Women (VAW). At the lobby of the Philippine Center, a strategic place has been devoted as an Anti-VAW landmark to increase public awareness on the 18-day campaign, which runs from 25 November to 12 December.  “The Philippine Consulate is committed to empowering our female personnel and female clientele by making sure that their voices are heard,” said Consul General Elmer G. Cato, during the flag-raising ceremony held this morning, 22 November. With the theme, “VAW-free Community Starts With me,” the goal is to engender a culture of accountability in fighting all forms of violence against women.  Supporting the campaign are personnel of the Philippine Center Management Board and the Social Security System who also wore orange, the…

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Filipino-American Veterans Honored in New York Event

Press Release 16 November 2021 Filipino-American Veterans Honored in New York Event The Philippine Consulate General in New York honored Filipino-American veterans in a commemorative event and a Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on Thursday, 11 November 2021, Veterans Day (Photo by Lambert Parong) NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate General in New York honored Filipino-American veterans in a commemorative event that included the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to three World War II Veterans Award Ceremony at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on Thursday, 11 November 2021. Among those honored were Air Force Undersecretary Gina Ortiz Jones, the highest ranking Filipino-American official in the Biden Administration, who also served as guest of honor and speaker, who traces her roots to Pangasinan, spoke of the strong people-to-people ties between the Philippines and the United States.  Undersecretary Jones was an Air Force intelligence officer who served in Iraq and Libya.  She ran but narrowly lost her bid for a congressional seat in San Antonio, Texas in 2018. On July 22, 2021, she was appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Air Force, the first woman of color to hold such an important…

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