Page 26 - 2017 KA'AKBAY January-June

26 January to June
2017

Ms. Guyana-Universe Calls on Philippine Consul General in New York

Ms. Soyini Fraser the official representative of Guyana to the Miss
Universe Pageant to be held in the Philippines on 30 January 2017 paid a
courtesy call on Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega prior to her
departure for Manila.

Ms. Fraser who works in the Public Relations field and is also an
accomplished dancer expressed her eagerness to see various destinations
in the Philippines and to also meet many Filipinos in the course of the
pageant. She noted that Guyana is celebrating its 50th Foundation Year
and that she is proud to represent her country during this milestone year.

She is active in several charities in Guyana such as the Keem
Foundation and the National Blood Transfusion Service and her special
advocacy is raising awareness on the needs of the elderly population.

Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega, Cultural Officer Olive
Magpile, and Department of Tourism-New York Assistant Joey Chanco welcomed Ms. Fraser to the Consulate and
congratulated her on being chosen as Guyana’s representative to the pageant. Ms. Fraser was accompanied by Ms. Jyoti
Hardat, National Director of the Ms. Universe-Guyana Pageant and a former beauty contestant herself, along with Mr. Felix
Manuel and Ms. Melissa Alviar of the Filipino Community.

Consul General Dizon-de Vega presented Ms. Fraser with a Philippine-made fan from Monchet y Compania and
wished her a good showing at the pageant as well as an enjoyable stay in the Philippines. The Consulate representatives also
relayed to her some travel highlights to expect in the country. Ms. Fraser was among the first batch of arrivals in the Philippines
for the pageant.

Filipino Film Screens at the Philippine Consulate General in New York
7th Queen’s World Film Welcomes Global Studies Students

Festival; Bags Acting Prize Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega with
for Ms. Ai-Ai delas Alas Philippine Center Events Coordinator Victor Cruz welcomed
a delegation of faculty and students of Tallwood Academy in
A Filipino film “Area” Virginia to the Philippine Center in New York on 30 March
directed by Louie Ignacio screened 2017.
last March at the 7th Queen’s World
Film Festival held at the New York The high school students are enrolled in the Global
Museum of the Moving Image and Studies and World Languages Academy at Tallwood and
the historic KaufmanTheater. visited the Center to receive a briefing on the work
undertaken by foreign Embassies and Consulates in the
Consulate General in New York Theresa Dizon-De United States. The group was accompanied by faculty
Vega personally extended congratulations to Director Louie member Jessica Windish, Global Studies Instructional
Ignacio for the successful screening of the film and for the Leaders.
award garnered by the film’s lead actress.
Tallwood School has sister school arrangements
In a meeting with Director Ignacio Consul General
Dizon-De Vega shared the Consulate’s Philippine promotion with Olongapo City National High School and Olongapo
efforts including the annual “Sinehan sa Summer” held at the
Philippine Center in New York every August and individual Regional Science High School. (Continue to page 27)
special film screenings as well as promotion of Philippine
films being screened in events in the US Northeast. Ms. Jessica Windish, Global Studies Instructional Leader (extreme left) with
Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega (Center) and the students of
The film was also be part of the lineup at the 41st Tallwood School (photos by Victor Cruz)
Cleveland International Film Festival from 29 March to 02
April and at the 15th Boston International Film Festival from 13
to 17 April 2017.

“Area” won a Special Jury Prize at the Eurasia
International Film Festival in Almary, Kazakhstan in 2016.