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Press Release
Courtesy Call of Consul General Orontes V. Castro with the Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, and Other High Ranking Officials of the Province of Manitoba
2021-08-28
PR-2021-45
23 August 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is pleased to inform that Consul General Orontes V. Castro paid a courtesy call on 17 August 2021 with The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and the vice-regal representative of Queen Elizabeth II in the Province of Manitoba. Lt. Governor Filmon enthusiastically received Consul General Castro and mentioned that she had fond memories of her previous visit to the Philippines with her husband and former Premier of the Province of Manitoba, Honourable Gary Filmon. She expressed happiness on the presence of the estimated 100,000 Overseas Filipinos in the province as well as with their happy disposition and positive values in life. She further informed that she has Filipinos among her security staff and she was happy with their service. The Lieutenant Governor gave a signed Certificate to Consul General Castro indicating that a tree was planted in the Province of Manitoba in commemoration of the courtesy call.
Consul General Castro also met with Honourable Kelvin Goertzen, Deputy Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Internal Relations; Honourable Jon Reyes, Filipino-Canadian newly appointed Minister of Economic Development and Jobs; Honourable Cathy Cox, Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, and Honourable Malaya Marcelino, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Notre Dame. Among the items discussed were: the positive family values and significant contributions of Overseas Filipinos to the economy and socio-political development of the Province of Manitoba; support on the credentials recognition of Filipino professionals in the province, especially Filipino nurses and those working in the health sectors; the recognition by the said Manitoba officials on the hard work and sacrifices of the Filipino frontliners at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic; and enhancement and expansion of the bilateral economic relations between the Philippines and the Province of Manitoba. Consul General Castro was joined by Consul (honorary) Ronaldo Opina while Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni Alvero joined in the meetings with the Minister of Economic Development and Jobs and the Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage.
Consul General Castro, STC Alvero and Consul (honorary) Opina also met on 18 August 2021 with Ms. Mariette Mulaire – President and CEO of World Trade Centre (Winnipeg) and Executive Director of the Bank of Canada; Honourable Tracey Maconachie, Deputy Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage; and the officials of Manitoba Film and Music – Manitoba’s CEO and Film Commissioner Rachel Rusen, Director of Film Financing, Tax Credits & Film Commission Services Louise O’Brien-Moran, and Mr. Sean Garrity, Film Director of the movie “I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight”, where most of the actors and actresses in the movie were of Filipino descent. The movie was highly successful in its showing in Canadian movie theatres but was affected by the onset of the pandemic last year. Mr. Garrity is currently negotiating for a Filipino counterpart for the showing of the film in the Philippines.
The Manitoba officials were likewise informed of the Consular Outreach Missions in Winnipeg in September, October, and November this year. END-
Right: Consul General Orontes V. Castro with Honourable Malaya Marcelino, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Notre Dame, Philippine Honorary Consul Ronaldo Opina and Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni Alvero.
Right: Consul General Orontes V. Castro with Film Commissioner Rachel Rusen, Director of Film Financing, Tax Credits & Film Commission Services Louise O’Brien-Moran, Philippine Honorary Consul Ronaldo Opina and Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni Alvero.