Communities RP Government Updates Filipino Consul General (Again) Makes History
| Filipino Consul General (Again) Makes History |
The Hon. Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon is already part of Filipino and Filipino-American history. She is the first woman diplomat to be named to her position in the world’s largest (both in population and territory) Filipino diplomatic outpost. The consulate covers Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
Philippine Independence-Day celebration 2007 saw also the making of another milestone in Filipino-American history. Ms. Aragon is the first Filipino consul general in Los Angeles to appear in Filipino-American commemorative events for the Philippine Independence Day accompanied by almost all of the staff members of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) and the Philippine Tourism Office in Los Angeles.
The officers and members of the Filipino-American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) were pleasantly surprised when Consul General Aragon arrived on time for its annual Philippine Independence-Day program. She was accompanied by her staff, including Consuls Ma. Hellen Barber, Noemi Diaz, Ed Yulo and Jim San Agustin, Philippine Tourism Director Annie Cuevas and Tourism Deputy Director Manny Ilagan. Ms. Aragon and Party attended the FACLA program today from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
The same pleasant surprise stunned the officers and members of the Los Angeles County Filipino-American Employees Association (LACFAEA) at its annual Philippine Independence-Day festivities at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown Los Angeles. The LACFAEA-sponsored Filipino event is held every June 12th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Consul General Aragon led again her staff and the Philippine Tourism officials in attending the said event.Members of the Media Breakfast Club (MBC) of Los Angeles recalled that when they co-sponsored the Philippine Independence-Day program at the MacArthur Park in Mid-Wilshire District of Los Angeles on June 11, 1994, only then Consul and Mrs. Tony Curameng and then Tourism Director and Mrs. Rusty Ricaforte attended the event on behalf of the Philippine diplomatic post in Southern California. At that time, then Philippine Senate President Edgardo J. Angara was the guest speaker. The MBC members said that Consul General Aragon has started a tradition that her successors may find difficult not to emulate or continue. The FACLA officers said also that normally only the Filipino consul general or his representative and the consulate driver would come to their events held before the term of Ms. Aragon.
Consul General Aragon read the message of the Philippine President, H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in the said events today, aside from delivering her own personal greetings. # #
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