![](https://philcongencalgary.org/public/blogs/2024/02/consulate-holds-outreach-mission-in-medicine-hat20240204000650.jpg)
22 August 2017 – Consul General
Julius D. Torres of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary led a Consulate team on an outreach mission to Medicine Hat,
Alberta from 19 to 20 August 2017, providing passport and consular services to
169 Filipinos in the town and surrounding areas.
The outreach mission, held at the Holiday Inn
Express Medicine Hat, was organized in cooperation with the Filipino-Canadian
Association of Medicine Hat (FCAMH) headed by its President, Ms. Jean
Beriault. Volunteers from the FCAMH
assisted the Consulate team in the outreach mission by finding the appropriate
venue for the outreach and publicizing the outreach mission through their
community organizations and social circles.
They also acted as ushers during the outreach mission and ensured the
orderly flow of people at the venue.
During the two-day outreach, the Consulate was able
to process 140 passport renewals, 17 notarial services, nine civil
registrations and three dual citizenship applications. Ten (10) Filipinos also registered as
Overseas Voters during the outreach mission.
After the outreach mission, the FCAMH held the
induction of its incoming officers, with Consul General Torres administering
the Oath of Office of the officials. In
his remarks, the Consul General thanked the association for its assistance to
the Consulate team in organizing the outreach mission, and its continued
support for the Consulate’s projects and initiatives.
He also thanked the FCAMH for agreeing to host the Independence Day
picnic to be held in June 2018.
Echoing his call to other Filipino communities in
Alberta and Saskatchewan, Consul General Torres also
encouraged the association members to take more active roles in their local
community as well as in Philippine political affairs by taking advantage of
their right to vote, both in Philippine and Canadian elections, and expressed
the hope that greater local community involvement by Filipinos would pave the
way for more political leaders of Filipino heritage in the future.
Consul General
Torres also invited the members of the community to participate in the
forthcoming Winter Escapade tour in February 2018, and spread the news to their
Canadian friends.
Medicine Hat is 264 km southeast of Calgary and is Alberta’s sixth largest city. Filipinos there and in surrounding towns mostly work in the meat and plant nursery/greenhouse industries, although a number have also been successful entrepreneurs. The FCAMH, as the largest Filipino community association in the city, has been fully engaged in city and community projects, working closely with city officials in promoting the well-being of Filipinos in the community.