PRESS RELEASE NO. 10-2023

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 3 February 2023 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu supported the Hawaii-Philippine Business Economic Council (HPBEC) in its online Talk Story entitled Dual Citizenship:  Implications on Lifestyle and Mobility held last 1 February. 

Consul General Emil Fernandez delivered the opening remarks in which he emphasized that the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 gave former Filipinos the opportunity to again enjoy full civil, economic and political rights as Filipinos. Consul Grace Bulos provided a presentation covering the legal basis of dual citizenship, eligibility, documentary requirements, the application procedure and the rights and responsibilities of dual citizens.

 Other guest speakers leaders included Ms. Yolanda Ortega Stern, founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce and co-founder of the One World Institute (OWI), and Ms. Louella Cabalona, a Chicago-based singer and founder of Filipino folk fusion band, SamaSama Project and alumna and former president of Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO).  Both ladies shared their respective stories on how they supported the dual citizenship campaign and how they themselves reacquired the Philippine citizenship. Atty. Rhoda Yabes Alvarez, an immigration lawyer, Filipino community leader in Honolulu and host of the weekly KNDI radio program “Legal Pinoy,” served as moderator of the Talk Story. 

The online event was streamed and shared respectively on the Facebook pages of HPBEC and the Consulate, which can be accessed on the following link:  https://www.facebook.com/hpbecFB/videos/637711261545525.  

Consul General Emil Fernandez delivers the opening remarks for the HPBEC Talk Story entitled Dual Citizenship:  Implications on Lifestyle and Mobility

Guest speakers in the HPBEC Talk Story included Consul Grace Bulos, Ms. Yolanda Ortega Stern and Ms. Louella Cabalona.  Atty. Rhoda Alvarez moderated the session.  Also in the photo is HPBEC Executive Director Ms. Rose Mendoza, who assisted in the Q&A.