PHILIPPINE CONSULATE CELEBRATES 127TH PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY IN DALY CITY
Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer receives the Proclamation issued by Daly City Council declaring 12 June 2025 as “Philippine Independence Day” in Daly City from Mayor Rod Daus-Magbual (San Francisco PCG photo)
DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA, USA – The Philippine flag was raised for the 11th time at the City Hall of Daly City in celebration of the 127th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 11 June 2025. Daly City is home to the highest concentration of Filipinos in the United States.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, led by Consul General Neil Ferrer, graced the special flag raising ceremony hosted by the Daly City Government and the Filipino community group Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (PBRC).
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer thanked the organizers of the celebration, the Daly City Government and the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (PBRC). “I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the officials of Daly City, led by Mayor Dr. Rod Daus-Magbual, and the city’s various government offices, and of course the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center or PBRC, most especially Tita Perla Ibarrientos, for making this Philippine flag-raising ceremony possible”.
Consul General Ferrer also recognized and commended the Filipino American community in Daly City for their contributions and for being the living bridge between the Philippines and the United States. The community has generously embraced the Filipino spirit, and made Daly City home to many of our kababayans—healthcare providers, educators, artists, entrepreneurs, veterans, and public servants—whose contributions enrich not only the Filipino identity but also the greater American story. Their personal successes, civic engagement, and cultural pride serve as a testament to the strength of our shared values and aspirations.
Consul General Ferrer also mentioned the endeavors of the Consulate to improve and innovate to ensure the effective delivery of government services to nationals giving a snapshot of the scale of consulate work and various innovations since he took office, which include: delivery of 206,820 consular services to Filipino nationals from 2021-2024; conduct of almost 40 consular outreach missions during the same period; launched initiatives such as cashless payments; launching of “Tala” an AI-powered chat assistant on the Consulate website; conduct of monthly free legal aid clinics in collaboration with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines California Chapter; conduct of free monthly health education activities in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California and successfully lobbied with the Philippine government, with the support of the Filipino Community, the reopening of the Philippine Consulate General in Seattle, Washington, which will better serve kababayans based in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. These activities, according to the Consul General, are on top of the consulate’s economic and cultural diplomacy efforts aimed to bring economic opportunities for Filipinos in the Philippines as well as to elevate the profile of the Philippines and of the Filipino people in the United States.
Consul General Ferrer also expressed his support to promote and strengthen relations between the Philippines and the United States, particularly the sister-city arrangements between Quezon City and Daly City.
A proclamation signed by members of the Daly City Council declaring 12 June 2025 as “Philippine Independence Day” in the city was turned over to Consul General Ferrer. A Certificate of Recognition was also bestowed by the Office of Senator Wiener to the Consulate on the special occasion.
Consul General Ferrer, Mayor Daus-Magbual, and PBRC founder Perla Ibarrientos, led the hoisting of the Philippine flag and singing of the national anthem.
Around 100 attendees joined the celebration at the Daly City Hall. Also present during the occasion were representatives from the Office of Senator Scott Wiener, Office of Attorney-General Rob Bonta, Office of Congressman Kevin Mullin, Office of Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and Office of Supervisor David Canepa. The PBRC hosted a luncheon featuring Filipino fare inside the City Hall.
Consul General Neil Ferrer, Mayor Rod Daus-Magbual, and Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center founder Perla Ibarrientos lead the hoisting of the Philippine national flag at a special ceremony at the City Hall of Daly City on 11 June 2025 (San Francisco PCG photo)
Consul General Ferrer delivers his remarks during the Philippine flag-raising ceremony in Daly City, California on 11 June 2025. (San Francisco PCG photo)
A signed copy of the proclamation of the Daly City Council, declaring 12 June 2025 as “Philippine Independence Day” in Daly City. (San Francisco PCG photo)
From L-R Deputy Consul General Maria Paz Cortes, Daly City Councilmember Juslyn Manalo, Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, Brisbane Councilmember Frank Kern and spouse, and Daly City Councilmember Pamela DiGiovanni (San Francisco PCG photo)
Attendees of the flag-raising event in Daly City (San Francisco PCG photo)