7 September, Edmonton – Consul General Gilberto Asuque paid a courtesy call on Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson on 6 September 2018 to discuss the services of the Consulate General for Filipinos, Filipino-Canadians and other clients.  

Consul General Asuque informed Mayor Iveson about the big Filipino population in Edmonton and Alberta, the establishment of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary in 2016, and the recent Philippine Heritage Month declaration by the Provincial Government of Alberta. 

He also shared with the Mayor the ongoing discussion in ASEAN about the establishment of an ASEAN Smart City Network (ASCN) where the cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao will participate. Consul General Asuque expressed the Philippines’ interest to learn from the best practices of Edmonton as a smart city. He informed the Mayor that Canada is one of the Dialogue Partners of ASEAN.

Mayor Iveson described the Filipinos in Edmonton as extra-ordinary, not just in terms of population, but on how they organize the community and how they give back to the community. He acknowledged the growing Filipino entrepreneurship in his city and also welcomed the Philippine Heritage Month declaration. According to the Mayor, Asia offers opportunities for trade, investment and tourism for Canada. He said he was very interested in the opportunities in ASEAN, especially in the areas of smart city, innovation and technology.

Mayor Iveson assumed office on 29 October 2013. He served as a member of the Edmonton City Council for two terms (2007-2010 and 2010-2013) before becoming the 35th mayor of Edmonton.