1st AMBASSADOR'S/CONSULS GENERAL TOUR TO THE PHILIPPINES

In an effort to aggressively market the Philippines as an attractive tourist destination, particularly to the Filipino-American community, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Hawaii, is pleased to announce the launching of the 1st Ambassador’s/Consuls General Tour to the Philippines in July 2005. Such project was initiated by Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Albert Del Rosario, Philippine Consuls General and Honorary Consuls in the U.S. during their annual conference held in San Francisco, California in October 2004.

The tour aims to re-introduce the Philippines to the Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who have not returned to the country for some time. The Consuls General in the U.S. is expected to lead a group of at least 50 persons from their respective jurisdictions or a total of around 500 participants across the United States. The Department of Tourism will arrange a tourism program for the participants. Among the activities lined up for the projected program are as follows: call on the President, the Secretary of Tourism and the Secretary to Foreign Affairs. The tour will be arranged at an affordable cost.

Members of the Filipino-American community, their families and friends are invited to participate in the said tour to the Philippines this summer. Final arrangements for the tour will be announced later. Interested parties may call the Philippine Consulate at (808) 595-6316 to 19 ext. 226 or 241 or email at honolulupc@hawaii.rr.com.

26 January 2005