Filipino-American Youth Take Pride in their Heritage, Culture at Virginia Filipino
Festival
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(top photo) Richmond locals join a performance of the traditional Canao by Filipinos of Bontoc, Ifugao,
Mountain Province, Abra and Kalinga-Apayao (BIMAAK) descent. Performers came from Maryland, Northern VA,
and the Hampton Roads area and the BIMAAK Association in DC and Baguio FilAm of Tidewater. The canao
was a highlight in the Filipino Festival at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Henrico County in
Richmond, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Filipino Festival Committee)
(bottom photo) A trio of musicians in traditional Filipiniana attire entertain visitors to the Filipino Festival.
Dominic Martinez, Veronica Kennedy and Paul Jany are parishioners of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
Church. The trio played popular folk melodies and kundimans. The festival, now on its 4th year, was described
as an “opportunity for cultural exchange” by the Richmond Times Dispatch. (Photo courtesy of Filipino Festival
Committee)
(right photo) A pair of Filipino-American parishioners from the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church wait for
their turn to perform.
The festival was described as an “opportunity for cultural exchange” by the Richmond Times Dispatch. Filipino-
American children “get the opportunity to take pride in their parents’ culture, their heritage,” reported the
Richmond Times Dispatch. With 40 children of non-Filipino descent participating in the dances, the event also
taught “respect for cultural diversity in our young parishioners, said Festival Chair Rosario Igharas.
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ePassport application via online appointment and on First-Come, First-Served basis -
DFA
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The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) wishes to remind the general public that applications for the new
ePassport will be accepted starting 26 August 2009 on a first-come, first-served basis.
The following guidelines apply:
1. Only 100 ePassport applicants can be accommodated daily.
2. Only applications for renewal of passports will be accepted until further notice. In the meantime, first-time
applicants may apply for Machine-Readable Passports (MRPs).
3. Interested applicants should set an on-line appointment through the DFA website http://www.dfa.gov.ph.
Applicants are requested to fill up the required fields on the online appointment page at the DFA website;
otherwise, the online appointment process will not proceed.
After internal verification, the DFA will inform prospective applicants of their schedule by electronic mail (email).
Applicants will be asked to confirm their availability on the specified date.
4. ePassport requirements:
• Personal appearance
All applications during this period shall be filed by the applicant personally to the exclusion of third parties.
• Old passport with one (1) photocopy of old passport data page
• A valid identification card
• Duly accomplished passport application form
Applicants may use the current MRP application form for this purpose, which is also available in the DFA
website
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Golan is Biggest, Most Challenging Peacekeeping Mission for RP
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The Golan Heights is going to be the biggest and most challenging overseas operation that the Philippines
will be involved in since Manila expanded its support to United Nations peacekeeping efforts almost a decade
ago, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations said yesterday.
“The Golan Heights is not only going to be the biggest peacekeeping operation that the Philippines will be
taking part in, it would also be the most challenging,” Philippine Permanent Representative to the United
Nations Hilario G. Davide, Jr. said in his report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo.
Ambassador Davide gave this assessment even as the Armed Forces of the Philippines began preparations
for the participation in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights of
the 336-member Philippine Battalion (PHILBATT) — the biggest peacekeeping contingent to be deployed
overseas since the Philippines took part in UN operations in Timor Leste in 2000.
“The Philippines places particular importance in its participation in UNDOF not only because it will host the
largest number of Filipino peacekeepers abroad but also because of the role it plays in helping the United
Nations keep the peace in that part of the Middle East,” Ambassador Davide said.
UNDOF was an offshoot of the 1973 Six Day War or the Arab-Israeli War and was established by Security
Council Resolution 350 of 31 May 1974 to maintain the ceasefire and supervise the disengagement of Israeli
and Syrian forces and the so-called Areas of Separation and Limitation as provided in the Agreement on
Disengagement between the two parties.
The Philippines is slated to replace Poland in patrolling and monitoring the southern portion of the so-called
Area of Separation — a hilly 80-kilometer stretch in the Golan Heights that has been under UN supervision
since 1974.
In addition to Poland, the other peacekeeping units presently involved in UNDOF are a combined infantry
battalion from Austria and Croatia, which oversees the northern half of the Line of Separation, and support
elements from India, Japan and Canada.
Citing the report of First Secretary Elmer G. Cato, who led a five-member delegation that visited the area early
this month, Ambassador Davide said the PHILBATT is expected to conduct static, mobile and night operations
out of Camp Ziouani and from the six permanent positions and five observation posts along the Line of
Separation that are presently manned by Polish peacekeepers.
The five-member Philippine Delegation, which included Col. Gregorio Catapang; Col. Gregory Cayetano,
commanding officer of the Peacekeeping Operations Center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Lt. Col.
Emmanuel Ramos of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics; and Maj. Ferdinand Ga of the Office of
the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, met with UNDOF officials and visited the area of operations from
August 4 to 9 in preparation for the deployment of the PHILBATT in October.
According to Ambassador Davide, the Golan Heights poses a significant challenge to the Philippines since it
is different from the other peacekeeping missions that the country is taking part in such as those in Liberia and
Haiti where Filipino peacekeepers are not in the frontlines but are tasked to secure the UN headquarters in
Monrovia and Port-au-Prince.
“The Golan Heights brings our peacekeepers to the frontlines,” he said, adding that no less than United
Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had said that the situation remains very tense and that it was likely to
remain so until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem was reached.
“While no major incident has taken place in the UNDOF area of operation, hostilities could break out any time.”
In addition, Ambassador Davide said members of the PHILBATT also face risks from landmines and
unexploded ordnance along the UN-supervised Area of Separation that have separated Israeli and Syrian
forces for the past 35 years. Increased civilian presence along the Syrian side resulting from ongoing
construction activities is also a cause for concern, he said.
The Philippines presently ranks 29th in the UN list of top troop contributing countries with a total of 611 military
and police personnel deployed in Afghanistan, Cote d’ Ivoire, Darfur, Haiti, Liberia, Sudan and Timor Leste as
of July 2009. It is also the third largest contributor from Southeast Asia next to Indonesia and Malaysia. END
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RP Consulate General in New York Holds Consular Outreach in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
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The Philippine Consulate General New York successfully conducted a consular outreach and mobile
registration in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last July 11, in coordination with the Filipino American Congress of
Philadelphia, Inc.
The team, composed of Vice Consul Maningat, Vicky Zaldivar, Celesty Cornejo, Tita Rebollos, Robert Nitro,
Chester Tajonera, Gina Martinez, Ric Miranda and Tricia Santos, provided assistance, advice and consular
services to many, resulting in 167 paid transactions and 57 registrants for Overseas Absentee Voting.
So far, the outreach in Philadelphia ranks as the second highest in terms of number of applicants during a
one-day outreach for 2009.
The team resorted to setting a cut-off time of 12 noon for walk-in applicants, as more than 100 had already
arrived even before 9 a.m. Those who arrived after the cut-off time were informed that they may wait and a
number took the chance of being served. The team completed all services close to 6 p.m., three hours after the
intended time of 3 p.m.
An increase in the number of applicants for the new machine-readable passport has been observed,
especially during these outreach activities. Many applied for renewal of passports that are yet to expire as it is
their desire to avail of the latest technology in travel documents.
The team thanked the members of the Filipino American Congress of Philadelphia, Inc. especially Dra.
Angelina Jaurigue, and volunteers under the leadership of Messrs. Lito dela Torre and Sostones Rivera, for all
the work they did to ensure the success of the outreach.
The team likewise expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Filipino American community in Philadelphia to
inform their members about Overseas Absentee Voter Registration. A gathering is scheduled for 31 July 2009
at the Philippine Consulate General, in cooperation with NaFFAA Region-I, to rally the community to participate
in the next Presidential Elections. END
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9th Bicol Tourism, Trade and Investment Mission Held at The Philippine Tourism
Center in New York
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A 15-person delegation from Bicol, Philippines, led by Vice Governor Salvio Fortuno of Camarines Sur and
DOT-Region Regional Director Ms. Maria Ravanilla, held a Bicol Tourism Product Presentation at the
Philippine Center in New York last July 16.
Members of the Bicol delegation made an audio-visual presentation on the various tourist attractions, as well
as the trade and investment opportunities in Camarines Sur, Albay, Legaspi City and other parts of Bicol.
Fil-Am Bicolanos who came to the well-attended event were pleased to learn the latest developments in their
native region and thanked the delegation for their presentation.
The Bicol Tourism Product Presentation is part of the 9th Bicol Tourism, Trade and Investments Mission which
is conducted across the United States.
The New York/New Jersey-leg of the Mission was made possible through the sponsorship of the Bicolandia
Association, Inc. of the Eastern Seaboard USA, Philippine Department of Tourism–Region V and the Philippine
Consulate General, New York. END
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RP Consulate General in New York conducts Consular Outreach in New Hampshire
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The Philippine Consulate General in New York conducted a consular outreach in Manchester, New Hampshire
last August 8. During the event, more than 100 Filipino-Americans in New Hampshire and in nearby states
availed of consular services, notably applications for passport, dual citizenship and legalization of documents,
and their registration as overseas absentee voters.
The Fil-Am Friendship Society of New Hampshire assisted the Philippine Consulate General in organizing the
consular outreach. END
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New RP Ambassador to Brunei pays Courtesy Call on H.R.H. Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee
Billah
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Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Alexander B. Yano greets His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-
Muhtadee Billah, The Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, on the occasion of the
Ambassador’s audience with His Royal Highness at Istana Nurul Iman on 13 August 2009. (Photo courtesy of
Mr. Jason Leong of Borneo Bulletin.)
Ambassador Yano and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah discuss bilateral issues during the
audience with His Royal Highness at Istana Nurul Iman (Photo courtesy of Mr. Zamri Zainal, Infofoto, Brunei
Times)
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Eight Chinese Youths chosen as new “Philippine Tourism Ambassadors”
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The Philippine tourism promotion activity entitled, “SM Xiamen Shopping: Win a Philippines Tour and Be a
Philippine Tourism Ambassador,” has come to its conclusion with eight lucky Chinese contestants being
chosen as new “Philippine Tourism Ambassadors” last August 9.
The closing event to the two-month promo that began in mid-June was held at the Atrium of the SM City
Xiamen Mall and jointly organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen, the South China Office of the
Department of Tourism (DOT) based in Hong Kong and SM City Xiamen Mall.
In attendance were the officers and staff of the Consulate General led by Consul General Raul S. Hernandez;
Mr. Wong Hoi Kuen, DOT Market Representative for Hong Kong, Macau and South China; Ms. Wang Ning,
Outbound Travel Manager of China Travel Service of Xiamen; and Mr. Charles Cai, Mall Manager of SM City
Xiamen Mall. Also present to grace the event was the Assistant Vice President of SM Prime Holdings, Mr.
Juancho Sibal.
Mr. Wong Hoi Kuen, Ms. Wang Ning, and Mr. Charles Cai served as the judges during the selection of the
winners of the promotion. Consul General Hernandez awarded the grand winner of the event. Ten semi-
finalists were chosen from over thousands who joined the raffle draw held at SM City.
The ten were chosen through a series of interviews and were selected for their overall personality and
communication skills.
Teachers from the Manila-Xiamen International School provided entertainment for the event by performing two
dance numbers to add color and meaning to the event. The MXIS Dancers performed a dance medley of Subli
and Bulaklakan and Singkil.
Among the ten finalists chosen to compete for the title of “Xiamen-Philippines Tourism Ambassador,” five were
given special awards and three were chosen as the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st runner-ups. All of the eight winners will
be considered Tourism Ambassadors and will tour the Philippines by September 2009, sponsored by the
DOT. END
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