Los Angeles — Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez was received by Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Michael Garcetti on September 16, 2019 at the historic City Hall in downtown L.A.
During the call, the two affirmed the robust state of relations between the Philippines and the U.S. rooted in time-tested friendship and mutual trust. The Ambassador also spoke about the Filipinos’ enduring perception of the U.S. as the Philippines’ most trusted ally.
“The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington was the first ship to arrive in Tacloban in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). I wrote about it in my column entitled, ‘God Bless America,’” the Ambassador cited as an example of how committed the U.S. is to one of its strongest allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
In Los Angeles, Filipino-Americans enjoy the confidence of the city government as can be seen from Mayor Garcetti’s appointment of several Filipino-Americans to key management portfolios. Ambassador Romualdez thanked the Mayor for his trust in their capabilities.
The Filipino-American community is one of the largest and most dynamic ethnic communities in the City with its population numbering 132,667. Mayor Garcetti mentioned the growing popularity of Filipino food and culture, drawing on the shared Hispanic heritage between Fil-Ams and Angelenos.
The animated discussion between the Ambassador and Mayor Garcetti delved on issues affecting the Filipino-American community such as immigration, human trafficking, infrastructure development, and environmental protection. The two were very optimistic on the prospect of institutionalizing a cooperation framework between the Philippines and L.A. focusing on technology exchange, culture, tourism, and sports.
Also present during the call were Deputy Mayor for International Relations Nina Hachigian, Director for Policy and Protocol Dilpreet Sidhu, and some of the Mayor’s Filipino-American appointees.
Joining the Ambassador was a delegation from the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles headed by Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz.
In his meetings with Filipino officials, Mayor Garcetti would tell the story of his grandfather who served in the Philippines during World War II. He is the 42nd Mayor of the City of L.A. and is known for his modern and hip approach to city management.
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For more information, visit https://www.philippineconsulatela.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinLA.
