PRESS RELEASE - 60 - 2019
Consul Grace Bulos (center), Pastor Jerry Saludez (fourth from left), Fr. Anastasi Saint Antony (third on the right), and Assistance to Nationals Officer Rodel Tejada (second on the right) with Filipino fishermen and volunteers of the Hawaiian Mission
(14 August 2019, Honolulu, Hawaii) - To bring service closer to overseas Filipinos, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu conducted a goodwill visit to over 20 Filipino fishermen at Pier 17 of the Honolulu Harbor on 13 August 2019. Consul Grace Bulos, head of the Consulate’s Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Section and ATN officer Rodel Tejada coordinated the visit with Pastor Jerry Saludez of the Waipio Community Baptist Church and the Seafarers Ministry, who regularly holds Bible study sessions for the fishermen every Tuesday and Friday. Father Anastasi Saint Antony, parish priest of the Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church and head of the Hawaiian Mission in Honolulu, and youth volunteers from the Hawaiian Mission also joined the Consulate officials and Pastor Saludez’s group.
In her address, Consul Bulos thanked Pastor Saludez for the Seafarers Ministry’s community service for the past five years for the fishermen. Consul Bulos reiterated the Consulate’s readiness to assist the fishermen with their concerns. They were likewise encouraged to avail of Post’s consular services at their convenience using the courtesy lane for OFWs, particularly passport renewal.
The fishermen were also encouraged to sign the Code of Conduct developed by the Hawaii Longline Association (HLA), which informs them of their rights, benefits and grievance procedures while they are working in Hawaii.
In their exchanges, the fishermen informed Consulate officials that they are pleased with their work. Most of them are returnees who have been employed in Hawaii’s longline fishing industry for five to ten years. END
Assistance to Nationals Officer Rodel Tejada encourages the Filipino fishermen to avail of the Consulate’s services
