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Clients in Windsor and Leamington availing of the different services provided during the Outreach Mission. The Consular Team with FCCI Officers and volunteers

20 September 2024 – As part of its regular schedule of providing consular services to the Filipinos under its jurisdiction, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto conducted a consular outreach mission to Windsor and Leamington, Ontario on 14-15 September 2024. The outreach was conducted in coordination with the Filipino Community Centre, Inc. (FCCI) of Windsor and the South Essex Community Council of Leamington. Post rendered a combined total of 183 consular services, including overseas voter registration.

The consular outreach teams provided a range of consular services to the Filipino community residing in Southeastern Ontario, and even Filipinos living in the Metropolitan Detroit area who have difficulty coming to the Consulate because of distance, restrictive schedules or mobility issues. The consular team rendered a total of 183 consular services, including 57 Overseas Voter registration requests. Twenty seven (25) former Filipinos (along with 2 minor dependents) took their oath of allegiance to retain/reacquire their Filipino citizenship under Republic Act 9225.

Representatives of the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Philippine Social Security System (SSS) based in Toronto also accompanied the consular team to offer and render their services to new and existing clients.

The Philippine Consulate General is scheduled to hold more outreach missions to Winnipeg, Manitoba on 29-30- September 2024, as part of continuing efforts to bring its services closer to Filipino communities in Ontario and Manitoba. END

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L-R: PAL Country Manager Allan Coo, Consul General Angelica Escalona, Agnes Lopez-Manasan, Rajah Tours Inc. President Jojo Clemente, Tourism Attaché Francisco Lardizabal

25 August 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto officially announced the ninth iteration of the Winter Escapade (WE9) on Sunday, 25 August 2024, at the Nathan Phillips Square in Downtown Toronto during the Mabuhay Philippines Festival.

Dubbed as “True North Goes North,” WE9 will take visitors from Manila to Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Baguio, and Pangasinan in northern Philippines from 9 to 18 February 2025 for a 10-day awe-inspiring, adventure-packed, fun-filled experience.

In her opening remarks, Consul General Angelica C. Escalona noted that the Winter Escapade is a flagship program of all Philippine Foreign Service Posts in Canada, in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Rajah Tours Inc., and Philippine Airlines. It is specially designed for Canada-based travelers to discover new attractions and destinations in the Philippines and, for Filipinos and Filipino Canadians in particular, to rediscover and reconnect with their roots.

Consul General Escalona was joined by Tourism Attaché Francisco Lardizabal, Rajah Tours Inc. President Jose C. Clemente III, Philippine Airlines (PAL) Country Manager for Canada Allan Coo, and Filipino Community leader and two-time WE participant Agnes Lopez-Manasan.

They provided a brief overview of the WE9 tour package, shared PAL’s discounted airfare rates offered exclusively for the WE9 and Mabuhay Festival participants, and enjoined the audience to come and visit the Philippines as part of WE9.

Mabuhay Festival goers were able to learn more about the tour from the Department of Tourism and PAL booths onsite. Detailed information about Winter Escapade 9 may also be accessed at http://winterescapadeph.com/.

Bottom Left Photo: Consul General Angelica Escalona (center, seated) with DOT Assistant Secretary Maria Rica C. Bueno (2nd from right, seated) and officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto  

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Consul General Angelica Escalona (leftmost) provides an overview of the Philippines’ clean energy transition roadmap in a Panel Discussion moderated by CABC Co-Chair Jan Da Silva (rightmost)

11 September 2024 – Consul General Angelica C. Escalona addressed government and industry leaders as a panelist at the Climate Tech Breakfast Series: Can Nuclear Technology Superpower Ontario’s Cleantech Economy? organized by the Toronto Region Board of Trade at The Quay in Toronto.

In the session moderated by Ms. Jan Da Silva, Canadian Co-Chair of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and Canada’s Representative to the APEC Business Advisory Council, Consul General Escalona provided an overview of the Philippines’ clean energy transition roadmap and the expected role of nuclear energy in the process. As one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, she noted that “we would need more affordable and more reliable power. Nuclear energy done right will be a great enabler for the government and the private sector.”

The Philippine energy roadmap for the next three decades envisions a greater share for renewable energy (RE) and includes nuclear energy in the power generation mix. Specifically, the Philippines is looking to have 35 percent share of RE in the power generation mix by 2030, and 50 percent by 2040-2050. The country is also looking at a nuclear capacity of 1,200MW by 2032, 2,400MW by 2035, and 4,800MW by 2050, while transitioning and repurposing coal and increasing the capacity for offshore wind.

The Consul General underscored the Philippines’ interest in working with Canada and learning from Canada’s experience in the development of the country’s nuclear energy ecosystem.

“The Philippine government sees this as a whole-of-country initiative. We will need the support of industries, communities and other stakeholders to ensure maximum safety and efficiency. There is interest to cooperate with Canada on nuclear energy, and with Ontario in particular, which relies on nuclear for 60 percent of its power needs. The PH is technology neutral. We are exploring both traditional and advanced reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), to find the best fit for us, always with the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards in mind. We need assistance in capacity building. There are so many aspects to address, from safety, to legal, environmental, funding and financing, human development, community involvement and research,” she said.

In closing, the Consul General raised two forthcoming important events in Manila where both sides may build on discussions on potential PH-Canada nuclear energy cooperation: the 2024 Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum on 13-15 November and the Team Canada Trade Mission to be led by The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, Government of Canada on 4-6 December.

Consul General Angelica Escalona (6th from left) with representatives from Global Affairs Canada, CABC, AtkinsRéalis, and the ASEAN Consular and Commercial Corps in Toronto 

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DOT Assistant Secretary Maria Rica C. Bueno provides an overview of the BBMG program

23 and 25 August 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) successfully launched the Love The Philippines campaign and Bisita, Be My Guest (BBMG) program in back-to-back events — a dinner reception on 23 August at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and during the Mabuhay Festival organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) at Nathan Phillips Square on 25 August.

The BBMG encourages Filipinos to invite their foreign friends and family members to visit the Philippines. In addition to the scenic destinations, exciting adventures, and warm hospitality that await travelers, DOT Assistant Secretary Maria Rica C. Bueno shared in her presentation that the program also offers the Filipino participants and their guests and invitees a chance to win special prizes in the next and final raffle draw in December. These include a condominium unit, holiday packages, roundtrip airline tickets, and shopping sprees.

The official program at the Four Seasons Hotel included a message from Consul General Angelica C. Escalona and video messages from Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The Philippine officials highlighted tourism as an important pillar for recovery post-pandemic and the invaluable role that overseas Filipinos can play in promoting the unique Filipino brand of service excellence.

Dinner reception attendees and festival goers were treated to lively performances by Philippines-based artists Poppert A. Bernadas, CJ Kaamiño and Princess Virtudazo, and Canada-based Ontario Streetdance Stars and the Culture Philippines of Ontario, trivia games about the Philippines, and raffle prizes and giveaways. Guests also experienced the flavors of Filipino homestyle cooking as part of the sumptuous buffet spread at Four Seasons Hotel and Pinoy street food from the Filipino and Filipino-Canadian vendors at the Mabuhay Festival.

The BBMG program runs until 30 November 2024. Details are available on the official website: https://bbmg.philippines.travel/.

L-R: Filipino artists CJ Kaamiño, Poppert A. Bernadas, and Princess Virtudazo showcase Filipino musicality; Program host Adriana Agcaoili asks guests trivia questions about the Philippines L-R: Consul General Angelica Escalona (center), DOT ASec Bueno (4th from right) and Tourism Attaché Francisco Lardizabal (4th from left) with Consulate partners from the Filipino community; Consul General Escalona (2nd from left) with members of the Filipino community