(2 September 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii) As part of its annual activity to make its services accessible and convenient for Filipinos, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu visited Pago Pago, American Samoa to hold a three-day consular outreach activity from 29 to 31 August 2015.

American Samoa, an incorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, is under the consular jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, together with the State of Hawaii and French Polynesia.

Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin led a consular team of seven (7) personnel who rendered a total of 196 consular services, and registered 125 new Filipino overseas voters in the island. The activity was held in coordination with the Filipino Community in American Samoa (FCAS), the only Filipino organization in the island.

American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga presents Consul General Jamoralin with a coffee table book on American Samoa as as a token.

During the visit to the island, Consul General Jamoralin paid a courtesy call on Governor Lolo Moliga and Lieutenant Govenor Lemanu Mauga to discuss joint activities which will benefit the governments and peoples of both the Philippines and American Samoa such as the building of a multi-processing facility in American Samoa by AVM Bernardo Engineering, a food processing equipment manufacturing company based in Valenzuela City, Philippines; the creation of a multicultural youth center in the island; sister-cities relationship between Pago Pago and Camarines Sur and General Santos City; and exploring the possibility of providing direct flights between Manila and Pago Pago, for medical tourism purposes.

Consul General Jamoralin also met with Mr. Auseugaefa Vaasatia Poloma Komiti, Consul General of the Independent State of Samoa to American Samoa, which is the only consular office in the island.

The FCAS held a Gabi ng Parangal on 29 August with Consul General Jamoralin as guest speaker and installing official for the organization’s newly-elected officers for 2015 to 2017. With Western Union as a major sponsor, around 200 guests attended the said community gathering. It also organized an open forum during the outreach activity, giving the Filipinos a chance to ask the Consulate General questions on consular matters, labor and employment assistance and other services and projects of the Philippine Consulate General. (END).

Consul General Jamoralin installs the newly-elected officers of the FCAS for 2015 to 2017