Page 29 - 2017 JUL -DEC KAAKBAY

29July to December
2017

PH Consul General Meets New York's Lieutenant Governor

Consul General Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-de Vega met with New
York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul in Manhattan to promote
the interests and welfare of the more than 125,000 Filipino-Americans
living in the state of New York.

Consul General de Vega thanked Lieutenant Governor Hochul
for the support extended to the Consulate by state authorities led by the
Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo and for the projects of the state
government which benefit the Fil-Am community.

They discussed how Filipino-Americans could work with

different state agencies and institutions to avail themselves of programs

like the Liberty Defense Project, a state-led public-private initiative to

assist immigrants, regardless of status, in obtaining access to legal (L-R) Atty. JT Mallonga, Ms. Laura Garcia, Ph.D., Lieutenant Governor
services and processes, especially those facing immigration cases.
Hochul, Consul General Dizon-de Vega, and Consul Arman R. Talbo.

The Lieutenant Governor encouraged newly-arrived Filipinos to take advantage of existing programs to make their

transition to New York more seamless. She mentioned that Fil-Am businesspeople could tap into the resources of the state's
Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise program (M/WBE). Scholarships are also provided by the state for high

school seniors who want to pursue higher education.

Consul General de Vega and Lieutenant Governor Hochul likewise
explored means to increase the political and civic engagement and participation
of Fil-Ams in New York and agreed to continue to work together to promote their
welfare.

Atty. Jose Teodoro "JT" Mallonga of the Filipino-American Legal
Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF) and Ms. Laura Garcia, Ph.D., of the
National Federation of Filipino-American Associations-New York Chapter
(NaFFAA), joined the Consul General in the meeting and discussed possible
cooperation between their organizations and the state in areas like voter
registration and immigration.

Consul General Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-de Vega (R) and Also present during the meeting were Consul Arman R. Talbo, Post's

New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul (L) Political Officer; Ms. Joanne Choi, New York State Assistant Director for Asian
discuss ways to promote the welfare of Fil-Ams during American Affairs; and Mr. Jeffrey Lewis, Chief of Staff of Lieutenant Governor
their meeting on 26 October 2017 .
Hochul.

PH Consulate General in New York Renews Engagement with NaFFAA-I: Rep. Salo Graces Forum

The National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) Region 1 held its Conference last 11 November
2017 at Valley Forge Casino Resort, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, and with its
conference theme, “the Beginning of a New Phase,” NaFFAA has handed over the baton to its first ever “millennial” national
chairman, Brendan Flores, who is committed to engaging and empowering young Filipino Americans.

The Conference had several sessions on a wide variety of topics such as civic engagement, entrepreneurship,
tourism, and human/labor trafficking, amongst others. Immigration lawyer JT Mallonga, the former National Chairperson of
NaFFAA and current President of the Filipino American Legal Defense Education Fund (FALDEF), together with Vice Consul
Tanya Faye O. Ramiro of the Philippine Consulate General, New York had a panel discussion on immigration, highlighting the

need to assist Filipinos who are affected by the
rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) Program by the Trump
Administration.

Representative Ron P. Salo (Kabayan

Partylist) of the House of Representatives of the

Philippines also graced the occasion, where he

discussed the advocacies of his Partylist, and

Participants of the National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) Region 1 congratulated NaFFAA for spearheading various
Conference held in Valley Forge Casino Resort, King of Prussia, PA last 11 November 2017. initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of Filipino-
Americans.