On May 13, 2016, ABS-CBN Foundation International and TFC executives visited the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu and paid a courtesy call on Consul General Gina Jamoralin. The delegation is in Honolulu to participate in the 2016 Philippine Fiesta and Parade held on May 14, 2016 at Kapiolani Park along Waikiki beach. The delegation was composed of Mr. Louis Benedict Bennett, Managing Director, and Ms. Alma Magsombol , Development Manager, both from ABS-CBN Foundation International;Ms. Malou Garcia, Head Dealer Management, North America, TFC ; and Ms. Keesa Ocampo, Corporate Affairs Lifestyle Network, TFC.
Consul General Jamoralin briefed the delegation of the activities and projects of the Philippine Consulate including the milestone event organized by the Philippine Consulate and the Filipino community in Hawaii on December 20, 2015 which was the 1st “Sakada Day” celebration to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipino plantation workers or “sakadas” in Hawaii on December 20, 1906 which was enshrined in Hawaii’s state law passed by Hawaii State parliament and signed into law by Hawaii State Governor David Ige on April 9, 2015. ABS-CBN officials expressed interest to help promote awareness of this historic and unique annual celebration honoring the memory of the pioneering Filipino sakadas in Hawaii to all the Filipinos in the United States. As a token of appreciation, Consul General Jamoralin gave ABS-CBN a copy of a DVD film entitled, “Mabuhay with Aloha: The Hawaii Filipino Experience (1906-2006)” produced by the Hawaii Filipino Centennial Commission of 2006 and Ms. Emme Tomimbang, a Filipino writer and a sakada descendant.
ABS-CBN and TFC officials offered to collaborate with the Philippine Consulate in organizing this year’s Sakada Day celebration and in other worthwhile projects of the Consulate such as the Ilokano Language and Immersion Program II (I-Laing II), 1st Rizaliana Course on June 18-19 and the forthcoming 2nd Philippine Food Festival on June 5-11, 2016 at Hawaii Prince Hotel. They acknowledged that these projects also dovetailed with their advocacy to reach out to the 3rd and 4th generation of Filipino-Americans. The ABS-CBN Foundation also briefed the Consul General of the Foundation’s humanitarian projects and expressed interest on possible cooperation with the Philippine Consulate during disasters and humanitarian crises.
Consul General Jamoralin thanked them for their expressions of support and promised to keep ABS-CBN International which is based in California, abreast of Philippine Consulate’s future projects and Filipino community activities in Hawaii. END.
