23 September 2019, Calgary – A team from the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary, led by Consul General Zaldy Patron, conducted a special consular outreach in High Level, Alberta to deliver consular services to the Filipino community who were affected by the wildfires that raged through the town and nearby areas in May 2019. The estimated 500 Filipinos in High Level were among the 10,000 wildfire victims that were evacuated and relocated for weeks in others parts of the Province of Alberta, Canada. High Level is located in Northern Alberta and about 1,035 kilometers away from Calgary.

 

The PCG was able to deliver 103 consular services during 1.5 days of the consular outreach on 21-22 September.

 

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO)-Vancouver also joined the consular outreach and delivered their own services to the Filipinos in High Level.

 

Prior to the consular outreach, Consul General Patron arrived in High Level on 19 September to visit the Filipino workers in various establishments to check their labor conditions. Among those he visited were Tim Hortons, Canadian Tires, Kentucky Fried Chicken, A&W, Best Western Hotel, TGP Supermarket, and Tolko Industries Ltd.

 

Consul General Patron also met with Mayor Crystal MacAteer on 20 September to thank her for ensuring the Filipinos’ safety during the wildfires and the mandatory evacuation in May. The Mayor described the Filipinos as “excellent people” who were welcome addition to the town of High Level. 

 

In the evening of 20 September, Consul General Patron conducted a Community Forum for the Filipino residents of High Level where he explained the consular services as well as the cultural and economic programs of the PCG.

 

On 22 September, he also met the other Filipino community members during a Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church and the 5^th anniversary celebration of the Jesus Is Lord Church.

 

“We are pleased to be of help to our kababayan in High Level who went through difficult situation in May when their town was hit by a natural disaster. Through the special consular outreach and the community forum, we hope that we were able to show them that the Philippine government cares for them,” Consul General Patron said on why the PCG sent a team to High Level.