PRESS RELEASE - 21 - 2020

Honolulu, Hawaii, 1 September 2020 – Following the issuance of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s Emergency Order No. 2020-25, which calls for Oahu residents to stay and work at home from 27 August 2020 to 9 September 2020, Philippine Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno expressed solidarity with the Filipino community in these challenging times.

In his letter of 27 August 2020 to the Filipino community in Hawaii, Consul General Jimeno said that “the continued surge of COVID-19 cases in the State of Hawaii remains a serious concern for all of us.”  

He sympathized with the families of community members who lost family members to the pandemic and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who contracted the disease.

Citing data from the Hawaii Department of Health, the Consul General informed the community that infection rates in the Filipino community are the second highest in the state, accounting for 17 percent of total cases. Twelve out of 562 cases in the Filipino community perished.

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism, saying that Mayor Caldwell’s Emergency Order is “an opportunity for us to turn things around.” He called for continued cooperation and urged the Filipino community to “adhere to the order and continue following the recommended health protocols.”  

“These are difficult times, but if we work together, we will overcome all challenges,” Consul General Jimeno concluded. END.