PHOTO RELEASE NO. 40-2023

21 April 2023, Honolulu – Consul General Emil Fernandez (rightmost in photo) was among the special guests invited by the Hon. Lemanu Mauga (second to the left in photo), Governor of American Samoa, to participate in the Flag Day celebrations last April 16 and 17.  The holiday marks the anniversary of American Samoa becoming a U.S. territory on April 17, 1900.  It is the South Pacific island’s biggest holiday of the year with the celebration lasting a full week.  It was the Consul General’s first visit to American Samoa, which coincided with the Consulate’s outreach mission in Pago Pago for Filipinos in need of various services.  It is estimated that approximately 3,000 Filipinos live and work in American Samoa, contributing significantly to the island’s economy as entrepreneurs, seamstresses, teachers, technicians and healthcare workers, among other professions.  Also in the photo are Director John Brewer (second to the right) of the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) of the U.S. Department of the Interior and former OIA Director Nikolao Pula (leftmost).  (END)

Consul General Fernandez with Representative Alex Jennings

Consul General Fernandez  with CDA Noriko Horiuchi of the US Embassy in Apia and General Mark Siekman of the US Army Pacific

Left to right: Ms. Nemia Aguirre, Consul General Fernandez,  Bishop Kolio Etuale, Labor Attache Maglanque, Ms. Mary Jane Doble, and Ms. Nimfa Ducknak

Left to right: Deputy Immigration Chief Sam Soliai, Labor Attache Maglanque, Consul General Fernandez, Immigration Chief Fagalama Fualaau, and former Commerce Department Director Keniseli Lafaele

Consul General Fernandez with former Commerce Department Director Keniseli Lafaele

Left to right: Labor Attache Maglanque, Assistant Attorney General Lynne Blankenbeker, Consul General Fernandez, FCAS President Caloi Banting, and former Commerce Department Director Lafaele