29 January 2021, Calgary – In an effort to inform the Filipino community about the activities of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary, Consul General Zaldy Patron hosted a Virtual Town Hall Meeting on 26 January 2021.

About 30 participants from Filipino organizations and local media in Calgary, Edmonton, Airdrie, Lethbridge, Cochrane, Jasper, Fort McMurray and Grand Prairie in Alberta, and from Saskatoon and Regina in Saskatchewan joined the meeting.

Consul General Patron shared with the participants the PCG’s major accomplishments in 2020 in terms of consular services as well as its cultural, economic and political diplomacy activities. He also mentioned the services of SSS-Calgary and POLO-Vancouver last year. 

Consul General Patron explained how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the PCG’s consular services. The pandemic led to the PCG’s temporary closure to in-person applicants from 20 March to 31 May 2020, the cancellation of the consular outreach missions, and the reduction of the number of in-person applicants inside the PCG

office following the public health measures set by the Alberta Health Services. Consul General Patron, however, shared that the PCG opened for two Saturdays each month from July to December 2020 to accommodate more in-person applicants. He also said that the PCG adopted a new passport online appointment system in October 2020.

Consul General Patron asked for the Filipino community’s continued support and cooperation for the PCG’s major plans for 2021.