Filipino groups organize `Pulong Bayan’; Consul General says work underway in support of opening career ConGen in Alberta

Filipino organizations in Alberta Province will come together for its inaugural “Pulong Bayan” on February 22 in Edmonton.
Migrante Alberta, Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association in Calgary, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association(CIWA)–Filipino Community Development Program and Kabisig Society of Fort Saskatchewan leaders have been campaigning for the establishment of a permanent consular office in Alberta, home to an estimated 100,000 Filipinos, either temporary foreign workers(TFWs), permanent residents(PRs)or Canadian citizens who retained their Philippine citizenship.
The Philippine Consulate General’s Office is currently based in Vancouver, assigned to serve Filipinos in Western Canada.
“There’s a growing need to have a permanent office in Alberta. With the unprecedented number of Filipinos coming in the province particularly temporary workers, having a career consul is urgent,” said Marco Luciano, Migrante Alberta spokesperson in a press statement.
“Having an office in Alberta also reduces the burden of the consulate office in Vancouver,” he said.
The Filipino organizations have been calling for better consular services in Alberta including the lowering of fees for passport renewals that match the amount charged in the Philippines as well as extending the hours of operations for existing consular offices on weekends.
Alberta currently has honorary consul general offices in Edmonton and Calgary.
Philippine consul general Neil Frank Ferrer emailed Pinoy Edmonton News that they recently met with Migrante representatives in Vancouver and informed them of the work being undertaken “in support of the opening of a career Consulate General in Alberta”.
The Consulate General’s Office will hold its first consular outreach for this year in Edmonton on March 8 to 11 and has released a list of applicants who will be served on the scheduled dates at the Saint Andrew’s Centre, 12720 111 Avenue, T5M 3X3.
Calgary will have its turn on March 13 to 15 but the online booking is not yet available.
Consular services will also be held in Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Brooks, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray and Cranbrook this year.(pinoy edmonton news)