Vancouver, BC, 23 December 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver marked the “Month of Overseas Filipinos” on 13 December 2024 with a roundtable dialogue focusing on the challenges faced by Filipinos in Canada. The event, themed “Navigating New Horizons: Addressing Settlement and Integration Challenges for Overseas Filipinos,” brought together key officials from the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), consular staff, and members of the Filipino community to discuss pressing issues related to migration.
The roundtable dialogue on migration, organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, featured key experts like DFA officials Eduardo José De Vega and Robert Ferrer Jr. They discussed vital issues affecting Overseas Filipinos (OFs) in Canada, including credential recognition and evolving immigration policies. Community leaders Mr. Stephen Andrada, Ms. Letty Young, Ms. Bella Cenezero, Ms. Erie Maestro, and Ms. Julie Diesta shared constructive insights and solutions to the challenges faced by OFs during their assimilation process. The event’s discussions focused on the importance of collective efforts to address settlement challenges and improve the lives of Filipinos abroad.
The roundtable highlighted the challenges and underscored the importance of collaboration in enhancing the settlement and integration experience for Filipino migrants in Canada. Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria encouraged OFs to seek assistance from the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General in Canada.
The event also allowed the UPAABC leadership to gather for a brief courtesy call with Gina A. Jamoralin, the new Consul General (to Vancouver).
In her closing remarks, Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin reaffirmed the Consulate’s commitment to supporting Overseas Filipinos (OFs) through responsive consular services. She encouraged participants to utilize the dialogue’s findings to help build a more prosperous future for Filipinos worldwide, promoting unity and dignity across global communities. (MBB)
By Bella Balisi-Bevilacqua
