Consul General Ferrer Joins Union City’s 18th Annual Sister City Festival Featuring Pasay City and Baybay City

CONSUL GENERAL FERRER JOINS UNION CITY’S 18TH ANNUAL SISTER CITY FESTIVAL FEATURING PASAY CITY AND BAYBAY CITY

Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer (left) and Pasay City Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano (right) deliver their respective remarks.

UNION CITY, CALIFORNIA – Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Neil Frank Ferrer joined the Union City’s 18th Annual Sister City Festival with the theme “Peace through Friendship” on 20 August 2023 at the Mark Green Sports Center in Union City. 

In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer highlighted the two sister cities of Union City in the Philippines, namely Pasay City and Baybay City, Leyte, and invited the more than 200 attendees to visit these two cities. He thanked the officials from both cities who traveled all the way from the Philippines to join the festival. The 20-member delegation from Pasay City was led by Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano while Baybay City was represented by Councilors Atty. Rommel Peñaranda, Ramon Ronald Veloso, and Filemon Avila.

The Consul General also highlighted the huge Filipino American community in Union City and their notable contributions. He also noted the Itliong Vera Cruz Middle School (formerly Alvarado School) in Union City, renamed in 2015 to honor the activism, labor, and lives of farm workers Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, who are important figures in Filipino American history. He also expressed pride for the Filipino Americans in Union City who previously served in the City Council and New Haven Unified School District, including Jim Navarro, Pat Gacoscos, and Linda Canlas.

Mabuhay Folkloric Society, Kalikasan Dance Troupe and ABSU Dancers performed Philippine dances during the program. END

Consul General Neil Ferrer (center-right), Mdm. Miriam Ferrer (sixth from right), Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil (fifth from right) with Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano (center-left) with Pasay City Vice Mayor Waldetrudes Del Rosario (fifth from left), Pasay City Councilors and other Pasay City officials.
 
Top photo: (From L-R) Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Mdm. Miriam Ferrer, Consul General Neil Ferrer, Baybay City Councilors Filemon Avila, Atty. Rommel Peñaranda, and Ramon Ronald Veloso.
Bottom photo: (From L-R) Consul Pangilinan-Daquipil, Union City Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci, Consul General Neil Ferrer, and Mdm. Miriam Ferrer.