FILIPINO SUMMER CAMPERS ATTEND UPAASF’S CULTURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM AT PH CENTER IN SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco on 3 August 2022 welcomed 51 young Filipino Americans who are taking part in the 10th Cultural Immersion Summer Camp of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of San Francisco (UPAASF)—the biggest cohort of Filipino American children and teens to have visited the Consulate for the annual week-long summer camp.
This is the biggest cohort of Filipino American children and teens, aged seven to 13 years old, which visited the Consulate for the UPAASF’s annual week-long summer camp.
Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer welcomed the summer campers at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall. He encouraged the participants to learn more about Philippine culture and cultivate a sense of pride as Filipinos.
Consul General Ferrer then shared the recent success of the Philippine Women’s National Soccer Team at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup—including the country’s lone goal scorer Sarina Bolden, who hails from the Bay Area.
The Philippine Consul General thanked the UPAASF for spearheading the Summer Camp for the last 10 years. “Thank you for all that you do to foster greater understanding of our culture and love for the Philippines among younger generations of Filipino Americans, and mold them to become the next leaders of the community. We look forward to continued partnership with UPAASF,” Consul General Ferrer said.
Unlike the previous years, the Consulate, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Silicon Valley, and the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) Office in San Francisco curated a one-of-a-kind Philippine cultural experience for the summer campers, setting up four stations that feature Philippine products, tourism spots, games, and history.
The PTIC showcased Philippine artisanal and sustainable handicrafts, including fashion apparel with indigenous weaves, and sneakers made of pineapple fiber. The DOT led a virtual tour of a “bucket list” of destinations and activities for travelers in the Philippines. The PTIC and DOT jointly served as game masters for the popular Philippine children’s games of sungka, sipa, and jackstone.
The immersive experience sparked the participants’ interest in the Filipino way of life, as well as their desire to visit and explore the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the Consulate’s Sentro Rizal gave a brief lecture on Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, and showed an animated film depicting Rizal’s life story and his place in Philippine history.
All summer campers were given a Philippine passport-like booklet, which were stamped in each of the four stations. Completing all four stamps allowed the summer campers to get free ice candies and Philippine snacks from PTIC’s mock-up sari-sari store.
After a post-activity discussion, the Consulate treated the youngsters to lunch consisting of Chickenjoy & Jolly Spaghetti from Jollibee and mamon from Goldilocks Bakeshop, and distributed additional goodie bags from DOT.
The Consulate also took the opportunity to donate to UPAASF, 51 coloring books titled “Stronger Together” from GMA International, which was first published by NYC Filipinos in support of mental health and anti-Asian hate advocacies.
Since the program’s inception in 2013, the Consulate has been a partner of the UPAASF in the conduct of the Summer Camp, which allows second- and third-generation Americans of Filipino descent to broaden their knowledge and deepen their understanding about their parents’ country of birth. The Consulate’s support to the Summer Camp is in line with its cultural promotion and diplomacy program. END
