| Cipriano L. Espina, Jr. New Orleans, Louisiana Doing An Outstanding Job As Consul Ad Honorem of the Philippines |
When Consul Cipriano L. Espina, Jr. was assigned as a
Philippine Trade Representative at the then Philippine Consulate
General in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1967, he did not have the
faintest idea that he would make New Orleans as his second
home. He thought his stay in the Crescent City would only be of
short duration. However, twenty-eight years later, he and Mrs.
Espina, formerly Marina Estrella of Cebu City and a 1992 Twenty
Outstanding Filipino-Americans awardee, and their four children:
Emmanuel, Rose, Salvador and Lourdes - have carved a niche in
this beautiful city and are prominently part and parcel of
mainstream New Orleans society.
Perhaps one of the ways by which a Filipino is judged is by the
length of his government service. At the age of 19, Cip, as Consul
Espina is called by friends, worked as a clerk at the Governor's
office in Leyte, Philippines for three years. With his love of
adventure, he decided to join the Philippine Navy in 1953 to visit
places. His experience with the Philippine Navy proved invaluable
in later years where he learned his basic skill s in engineering .
After spending three year in the Philippine Navy, Cip pursued his
law studies and obtained his law degree from the Philippine Law
School in Manila -- also the Alma Mater of the late Philippine
Philippine Trade Representative at the then Philippine Consulate
General in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1967, he did not have the
faintest idea that he would make New Orleans as his second
home. He thought his stay in the Crescent City would only be of
short duration. However, twenty-eight years later, he and Mrs.
Espina, formerly Marina Estrella of Cebu City and a 1992 Twenty
Outstanding Filipino-Americans awardee, and their four children:
Emmanuel, Rose, Salvador and Lourdes - have carved a niche in
this beautiful city and are prominently part and parcel of
mainstream New Orleans society.
Perhaps one of the ways by which a Filipino is judged is by the
length of his government service. At the age of 19, Cip, as Consul
Espina is called by friends, worked as a clerk at the Governor's
office in Leyte, Philippines for three years. With his love of
adventure, he decided to join the Philippine Navy in 1953 to visit
places. His experience with the Philippine Navy proved invaluable
in later years where he learned his basic skill s in engineering .
After spending three year in the Philippine Navy, Cip pursued his
law studies and obtained his law degree from the Philippine Law
School in Manila -- also the Alma Mater of the late Philippine
President Carlos Garcia. Meanwhile, during his senior year in law school, he was hired by the Department
of Commerce and Industry as a technical assistant. As soon as he passed the Philippine bar in 1961, he
was appointed as DCI Legal Officer. But not long after, he was transferred to the DCI's Office of International
Trade which was his passport to be assigned abroad as a representative for international trade at the
Philippine Consulate General in New Orleans.
His job as Trade Representative lasted for seven years, when he resigned from his post he vehemently
opposed the usurpation of power by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. Cip opted to join the Movement for Free
Philippines (MFP) under the leadership of Raul Manglapus. For 19 years, Cip was not able to visit the
Philippines to see his ailing father, Cipriano, Sr., former Mayor of San Isidro, Leyte. It was only after President
Cory Aquino was elected and democracy was restored that Cip made a sentimental journey to his native
country.
As American citizens, Cip and Marina Espina did not waste any of their precious time in New Orleans. He
joined the City of New Orleans as Chief Engineer while Marina warked as a librarian and as a member of the
faculty of the University of New Orleans. In the course of time, Marina made a paramount discovery that
necessitated the re-writing of the history of Filipino immigration to the United States. She is the author of the
book, FILIPINOS IN LOUISIANA, which is a primer of her next book, MANILA MEN IN THE NEW WORLD.
In 1988, Cip was appointed as honorary consul in New Orleans by the Hon. Raul Manglapus, then Secretary
of Foreign Affairs. New Orleans, being the second largest port -- first in cargo -- in the United States, The
Philippine Honorary Consulate performs a vital task in encouraging American investors to the Philppines as
well as safeguarding the welfare of Filipino seamen.
Cip is a published author both in the United States and in the Philippines. He is a member of numerous
organizations, such as the Filipino-American Goodwill Society, the Filipino American Lions Club of Louisiana,
the Asian Pacific American Society, the Consular Corps of New Orleans, the UNO Alumni Association, the
Southwestern Legal Foundation (SMU, Dallas, Texas), and the Academy of American and International Law
Alumni Association.
"As the Honorary Consul of the region, Cip has been outstanding in promoting Filipino positive image. The
mainstream New Orleans society respects him and commends his active participation in promoting goodwill
for the Filipinos, " observed one the Filipino community leaders in New Orleans. "We admire his low-profile
but very effective leadership and organizational skill."
Aside from his law degree, Cip has an engineering degree from FEATI University in Manila and a Master of
Political Science degree from the Louisiana State University in New Orleans.
Cip and his wife, Marina. own several businesses in the area. He is the President of Inter-Call
Communications of New Orleans, Fil-Am International Travel Service, Fil-Am International Employment
Service, and the Fil-Am International Trading Corporation. He is a licensed First Class Operating Engineer of
Power Plants.
of Commerce and Industry as a technical assistant. As soon as he passed the Philippine bar in 1961, he
was appointed as DCI Legal Officer. But not long after, he was transferred to the DCI's Office of International
Trade which was his passport to be assigned abroad as a representative for international trade at the
Philippine Consulate General in New Orleans.
His job as Trade Representative lasted for seven years, when he resigned from his post he vehemently
opposed the usurpation of power by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. Cip opted to join the Movement for Free
Philippines (MFP) under the leadership of Raul Manglapus. For 19 years, Cip was not able to visit the
Philippines to see his ailing father, Cipriano, Sr., former Mayor of San Isidro, Leyte. It was only after President
Cory Aquino was elected and democracy was restored that Cip made a sentimental journey to his native
country.
As American citizens, Cip and Marina Espina did not waste any of their precious time in New Orleans. He
joined the City of New Orleans as Chief Engineer while Marina warked as a librarian and as a member of the
faculty of the University of New Orleans. In the course of time, Marina made a paramount discovery that
necessitated the re-writing of the history of Filipino immigration to the United States. She is the author of the
book, FILIPINOS IN LOUISIANA, which is a primer of her next book, MANILA MEN IN THE NEW WORLD.
In 1988, Cip was appointed as honorary consul in New Orleans by the Hon. Raul Manglapus, then Secretary
of Foreign Affairs. New Orleans, being the second largest port -- first in cargo -- in the United States, The
Philippine Honorary Consulate performs a vital task in encouraging American investors to the Philppines as
well as safeguarding the welfare of Filipino seamen.
Cip is a published author both in the United States and in the Philippines. He is a member of numerous
organizations, such as the Filipino-American Goodwill Society, the Filipino American Lions Club of Louisiana,
the Asian Pacific American Society, the Consular Corps of New Orleans, the UNO Alumni Association, the
Southwestern Legal Foundation (SMU, Dallas, Texas), and the Academy of American and International Law
Alumni Association.
"As the Honorary Consul of the region, Cip has been outstanding in promoting Filipino positive image. The
mainstream New Orleans society respects him and commends his active participation in promoting goodwill
for the Filipinos, " observed one the Filipino community leaders in New Orleans. "We admire his low-profile
but very effective leadership and organizational skill."
Aside from his law degree, Cip has an engineering degree from FEATI University in Manila and a Master of
Political Science degree from the Louisiana State University in New Orleans.
Cip and his wife, Marina. own several businesses in the area. He is the President of Inter-Call
Communications of New Orleans, Fil-Am International Travel Service, Fil-Am International Employment
Service, and the Fil-Am International Trading Corporation. He is a licensed First Class Operating Engineer of
Power Plants.
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
| Copyright© 2006 Filipino Image. All rights Reserved. Advertise | Contract | Subscribe | Publisher | Contact Us |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |