Philippine Consulate, San Diego County

***STATEMENT FROM THE HONORARY CONSUL**** Dear community, My office has received many inquiries about the Los Angeles Consulate General website not working. I understand the frustration. Although my jurisdiction is San Diego County, I proudly work as a member of the Los Angeles team. In that regard, I would like to offer some insight. The LA Consulate General serves one of the largest jurisdictions of Filipino-Americans in the world. In the pre-COVID era, it received hu...ndreds of calls, emails, and visitors every day. The LA team also handles jail visits, assistance to foreign nationals, promoting the country's interests, and supporting the community. These alone can be daunting under normal times. These are not normal times. When the pandemic hit, all Consulates in the U.S. were forced to close. This created a major backlog of requests. When offices re-opened, many Consulates (LA and SD included) voluntarily returned in order to provide services. Consular officers and staff are at RISK of exposure to illness, every single day. To mitigate this, staffing is leaner, efficiencies are necessarily lower, and accommodations are fewer. Please understand that. It is more difficult than ever to make exceptions. As the Honorary Consul for San Diego County, I can assure you that there is NOT a single member of the LA or SD team that enjoys saying "no" to a constituent or being fully unable to assist. But, these are trying times. The offices receive emergency requests every day, ranging from illness, imminent or actual deaths, arrests, abuse, and other major issues. These have actually compounded during the pandemic, since there are more illnesses and deaths. These are even further compounded by the preexisting backlog, the reduction in staff, and all of the COVID restrictions that must be complied with. These, of course, have spilled over into the San Diego office, which has an even smaller staff of volunteers. Due to the growing backlog, the website received an extraordinary amount of activity, causing an unforeseeable crash. Many were angry, and I witnessed backlash. I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when I say that we truly love the community and want to serve you well. We are human, and we make mistakes. But many of us are risking our lives (some voluntarily) because we want to serve. For that reason, I am proud of the LA team and will be by their side. I hope you will join me by showing patience and understanding. Sincerely, Audie de Castro, Honorary Consul

Here is the latest travel advisory from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for those who wish to travel to the Philippines. For more information, please visit the Bureau of Immigration website: https://immigration.gov.ph You may also send an email at [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected], or call them at +63-2-8465-2400; +63-2-8524-3769.

Happy Lunar New Year 2021 to all! #lunarnewyear #philippineconsulate #sandiegocalifornia

Join us for our very first Ask An Attorney zoom workshop! Get the chance to work with our clinic's immigration attorneys, Ian Seruelo and Aaron Giron. This wor...kshop with allow attendees to ask any questions they may have about citizenship and DACA. Whether you are getting started on the application or need more insight about the processes, we're here to help! Save the date for next Saturday, February 13 @ 1pm. stay tuned for the RSVP link! See more

The U.S.-Asia Institute (USAI), with the support of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., is now accepting applications for the student internship program, entitled IMPACT! (Inspiring, Motivating and Preparing for Action towards Civic Transformation) Program for Filipino-Americans." The 2021 IMPACT! Program will be conducted in a fully virtual setting for nine weeks, starting from 07 June to 06 August 2021. The week of 07 June comprises a week-long orientation with fe...llow IMPACT participants, followed by the start of the internship. Participants will receive the Filipino American Youth Political Leadership Award in the amount of a $1,000 stipend. IMPACT!, which is a professional development program created by the USAI, offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for young Filipino-American adults to gain a firsthand look at the American government and political system in Washington DC, to engage civically, and to reflect on the role they, as future leaders, might play in strengthening U.S.-Philippines relations. For the application procedure and documentary requirements, as well as other relevant information about the Program, please visit USAI’s official website at: https://www.usasiainstitute.org/impactprogram Interested applicants are advised to contact Mr. Zev Moses at email address, [email protected] for any questions or concerns about the Program. The deadline of application is on 28 February 2021.

PH ENTRY RULES EFFECTIVE 1 FEBRUARY. For a list of government-accredited quarantine facilities: http://quarantine.doh.gov.ph and http://quarantine.doh.gov.ph/facilities-inspected-as-of-d/... For a list of licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories in the Philippines: https://hfsrb.doh.gov.ph/1729-2/

Please join us on October 29, 2020, from 6 to 7:30 PM. Please go to www. FACCNSD.ORG for Registration. Ka Nayon, Ating Alamin keynote speaker is our Honorable Philippine Consulate San Diego Honorary Consul Audie de Castro. "Ka Nayon, Ating Alamin" is a presentation of our cultural art dance by Filipino American Cultural Organization, lutong bahay home cooking by Lutchi and Mary, the first Filipino history in the land of America, the struggles and triumph presented by our VP... Vina Gan and the genesis of proclamation of Filipino American History by Fred Docdocil of Mabuhay Credit Union. Thanking our sponsors, Mabuhay Credit Union, JC Premiere On Line Franchise, San Diego Music Studio, My Own EVA Virtual Assistants, My Jeepney Stop, Vina Gan of Farmers Insurance, My Point Credit Union, Citadel Penn of Edward Jones & Lutchi & Mary. Proceeds to this sponsorship to benefit our Educational Series Program for Music & Arts Scholarship.

Join these Pinay leaders today for Fil-Am History Month. https://fb.me/e/1ymbenKMI

SAVE THE DATE. Please join Secretary Francisco Nick P. Acosta (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) and the Los Angeles Consulate General as we discuss the current issues and challenges faced by the overseas Filipinos. Learn how the Philippine government and community is responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Our Honorary Consul Atty. Audie J. De Castro (San Diego County) will be part of the panel to discuss legal needs. Other Philippine government officials and ove...rseas Filipino community leaders will be there for this live discussion. To join this free webinar, simply register at https://tinyurl.com/CFOOnlineUgnayansaLosAngeles and a zoom link will be provided. We hope to see you there! #CommissiononFilipinosOverseas #CFOOnlineUgnayansaLA

A message from Justice Nick P. Acosta, Secretary of Commission of Filipinos Overseas (CFO): Secretary Acosta invites you to our ONLINE UGNAYAN sa LOS ANGELES on Thursday, October 22, 2020, at 8 pm (Los Angeles Time) via Zoom and FB Live. This free event is an online meeting and consultation with the Filipino communities under the jurisdiction of the L.A. Consulate General to discuss issues and challenges of overseas Filipinos and the government response in this COVID-19 pan...demic. Please register at www.tinyurl.com/CFOOnlineUgnayansaLosAngeles. Zoom link will be provided upon registration. The webinar is also open to the public on the CFO Facebook Page: (Commission on Filipinos Overseas). https://www.facebook.com/commissiononfilipinosoverseas/videos/338520294101122

The Ugnayan sa Los Angeles is set for October 22, 8:00 p.m. PST (October 23, 11:00 a.m., Manila). Two of our distinguished guests are Honorary Consul Audie J. D...e Castro and 2018 Presidential Awardee, Atty. C. Joe Sayas. Register now to be part of this event https://tinyurl.com/CFOOnlineUgnayansaLosAngeles! #CommissiononFilipinosOverseas #OnlineUgnayansaLA

We are inviting everyone to join us on a FREE webinar and consultation called CFO ONLINE UGNAYAN sa LOS ANGELES on October 22, 2020 at 8pm PST. Issues and challenges of overseas Filipinos and the government response in the COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed. This event is hosted by CFO (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) under the jurisdiction of Philippine Consulate of Los Angeles. Interested participants may register for FREE at www.tinyurl.com/CFOOnlineUgnayansaLosAngeles.... Zoom link will be provided upon registration. The webinar is open to the public via CFO Facebook Page: (Commission on Filipinos Overseas). #CFOOnlineUgnayanSaLosAngeles

Mga kababayan: Have you received your flu shots yet? Its very important to get it early.

Based on scientific findings and government data, we urge our kababayans and friends to act with extreme caution to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Do it for your community and country. #beafraid.

October is Filipino-American History Month in the United States, when the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States occurred over four centuries ago. Now one of the largest ethnic groups in the U.S. (and second largest in this County), Filipino-Americans have made substantial contributions to the betterment of the United States, in areas including civil rights, the labor movement, healthcare, education, business, and philanthropy. We also work in solidarity with other communities, including the Black, Latino, and Asian communities, in the fight against racial injustices. Mabuhay po kayo! Audie de Castro, Honorary Conul.

We wish the President and First Lady a speedy recovery. COVID-19 can impact anybody, regardless of age, race, wealth, and other factors. We urge the community to take this seriously and err on the side of precaution. Ingat po palagi.

Frequently asked questions who can travel to the Philippines. You may also click the links below for additional information. Bureau of Immigration website: www.immigration.gov.ph Visa requirements: https://bit.ly/30HxPwq Passport inquiry: https://www.philippineconsulatela.org/consular-ser/passp0rt

This 16-year old pre-registred to vote. He is excited to turn 18 so he can have a voice for our future. This November election is critical to the 4 million Filipino-Americans in the United States. Will you have a voice? REGISTER to vote now, and then VOTE! BOTO MO, BOSES MO.

We are very excited to inform you that Ria Esteban is joining our Consulate team as a Staff Member. Ria is from the province of Rizal in the Philippines and a graduate of AB Mass Communication in New Era University in Quezon City. She has more than 10 years’ work experience in business process outsourcing in the Philippines. She worked as a Customer Service Representative, Quality Analyst and Administrative Assistant. She loves music and is a choir member. She spends most of her free time with her family. She is also into e-commerce business. Welcome aboard, Ria!