Philippine Embassy Honors Filipino Community Leaders at CFO’s Ugnayan sa Japan
The Philippine Embassy honored Filipino Community leaders during a dinner event at the Philippine Embassy hosted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) as part of its “Ugnayan” initiative under the leadership of CFO Chairman, Justice Francisco P. Acosta (Ret.), on 30 September 2019.
Past awardees and nominees of the CFO Presidential awards as well as various Filipino Community organizations all over Japan attended the dinner, including Ms. Marie Bernabe Nihei (2004 Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino awardee), Ms. Anita Sasaki (2014 Banaag awardee) and Professor Wako Asato (2014 Banaag awardee).
Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V and CFO Chairman Francisco P. Acosta with past awardeesand nominees of the Presidential Awards for Overseas Filipinos, and FilCom Leaders
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V underscored how CFO’s “Ugnayan sa Japan” embodies the spirit of bayanihan as it aims to reach out and touch base with the Filipino Community in Japan, and rally behind a common purpose – to contribute to nation-building wherever Filipinos are.
CFO Chairman, Francisco P. Acosta, in his address, highlighted the honorees’ outstanding contributions to the Filipino Community in Japan, and thanked them for their selfless service to their fellow Filipinos. He further urged them to embrace as their mission the promotion of the interests and welfare of their kababayans in response to President Duterte’s call for a more inclusive society where no one is left behind.
Ambassador Laurel and CFO Chairman Acosta encourage the Filcom Leaders to continue helping their countrymen
The CFO further urged the Filipino community in Japan to participate in the 2020 Presidential Awards for Overseas Filipinos, which is now open for nominations.
The dinner is part of “Ugnayan sa Japan,” CFO’s initiative in harnessing ties with the Filipino diaspora in Japan, including through forums and consultations to discuss various ways of diaspora engagement that will promote their welfare and interests, and help optimize development in the Philippines. There are around 290,000 Filipinos living in Japan as of latest statistics. END.
To learn more about the 2020 Presidential Awards, you may visit the CFO website, http://presidentialawards.cfo.gov.ph/.
