2024-11-25
25 November 2024 – As part of its mandate of providing consular services to communities under its jurisdiction, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto conducted a Consular Outreach Mission to the Filipino community of Thunder Bay, Ontario on 23-24 November 2024.
The consular outreach team provided a range of consular services to the Filipino community residing in Northwestern Ontario and Filipinos living in the Lake Superior area. The consular team rendered a total of 68 consular services. Twenty-one former Filipinos (along with 4 minor dependents) took their oath of allegiance to retain/reacquire their Filipino citizenship under Republic Act 9225.
Representatives of the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) based in Toronto also accompanied the consular team to offer and render their services to new and existing clients.
The Consular Outreach Mission to Thunder Bay was the first to that city since 2018. The Filipino community had requested for the Consulate General to conduct a mission to Northwest Ontario following the hiatus of missions to their part of the province. The Consulate General took the opportunity presented by the request to reach out and inform them of the latest developments regarding Philippine government policies as well as the Consulate’s economic, assistance to nationals and cultural projects. These topics were discussed during the community forum and Post-Arrival Seminar that was held in the afternoon of Saturday, 23 November 2024, with Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate and Welfare Officer Benny Reyes.
To enhance intergovernmental relations, Deputy Consul General Tate met with Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff in the morning of 23 November. The Mayor expressed his deep appreciation of the members of the Filipino community of Thunder Bay, praising them as model citizens enriching the city with their presence.
For their part, the Filipinos availing of the consular services expressed their appreciation for the mission. “Matagal na po naming na hinintay ang pagbalik ninyo dito. Malaking tulong po ito sa amin na hindi na naming kailangang lumipad pa papuntang Toronto, para dito.”, one of the clients said.
The Consular Mission to Thunder Bay was Post’s last mission for 2024. Consular outreach missions will resume after the winter season, in 2025. The Philippine Consulate General still offers Saturday services for select weekends during the winter months, to enable clients who are unable to visit the Consulate on weekdays, to avail of services.