PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

6 June 2018, New York – Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and Mrs. Gina Sarabia Espinosa led a 35-man business delegation to New York, Virginia and Washington D.C. from 1 to 9 June 2018, upon the invitation of the US-based Asian American Chamber of Commerce, the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce of Washington DC, and the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (PIDCI).

New York, 6 June 2018 – Textile arts and images of the six tribal communities, weavers, and peoples of Mindanao were the focus of an exhibit entitled " The Hinabi Project: Weaving Peace and Dreams Textile Arts of Mindanao" that opened last 6 June 2018 to kick off the Philippine Consulate General's celebration of the 120th Anniversary of Philippine Independence.

5 June 2018, New York – Philippine Franchise Association's Yvette Pardo-Orbeta, Director for Education, External Relations and Advocacy, held an engaging discussion about franchising in the Philippines with members of the Filipino community in New York at a forum organized by the Philippine Consulate General on 4 June 2018 at the Philippine Center New York's Gallery Lobby.

NEW YORK, 11 June 2018 – The Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) hosted the 6th Annual Philippine Graduation (PGRAD) last 9 June 2018 at the Philippine Center Kalayaan Hall. The PGRAD is one of the PCGNY's legacy projects for the Filipino-American youth.

NEW YORK, 23 May 2018 – The Philippine Department of Tourism-New York (PDOTNY) particpated in the Gran Fondo New York Expo last 18-20 May 2018 at the Penn Pavillion in Manhattan. PDOTNY promoted and took registration for the Philippines' first hosting of the Gran Fondo cycling marathon which is scheduled on January 2019 in Bohol. The expo was a prelude to the GFNY Race on 20 May held in Central Park.

Passaic, NJ, 10 June 2018 – The Philippine Consulate General in New York joined the Filipino Community in the Greater Passaic area at activities to commemorate the 120th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence held at the Third Ward Park in Passaic, New Jersey on 10 June 2018.

06 June 2018, New York – The Philippine Consulate General in New York witnessed the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Friends Indeed, USA Inc., a non-profit organization based in the USA, and People's Volunteer Against Illegal Drugs, a non-government organization based in the Philippines last 27 May 2018 at Astoria World Manor, Queens, New York City.

03 June 2018, New York – The annual Philippine Independence Day Parade and Street Fair was successfully held on Madison Avenue in New York City on Sunday, 3 June 2018.

Ambassador Claro Suarez Cristobal is a career diplomat with the rank of Chief of Mission I. He took up his post as Consul General of the Philippines in New York on 30 June 2018. Before his current posting, he served as Director-General of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) beginning on 2 July 2015. He also served as Philippine Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt from December 2011 to June 2015 and Consul General of the Philippines in Hong Kong from April 2009 to December 2011. His other foreign assignments include the following: Minister and Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo from September 2002 to January 2007; Minister, Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2000 to 2002; Consul, Philippine Consulate General in New York from 1993 to 1997; and Third Secretary then Second Secretary, Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1990 to 1993. In the Home Office, Ambassador Cristobal has also served as the Spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs from February 2007 to April 2009, Special Assistant at the Office of the Secretary from 1998 to 2000, Special Assistant at the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy in…

NEW YORK, 23 May 2018 – "Even the Rainbow Has a Body" – Prosy Abarquez De La Cruz's collection of stories and essays about Filipino-Americans in visual arts, culinary arts, music and performance arts – was launched at the Philippine Center Lobby Gallery last 23 May 2018. The event was organized by the Philippine Consulate General New York in celebration of Asian-American Heritage Month.