LOS ANGELES – The Filipino community in Los Angeles gave a warm welcome on Friday night, April 25, to Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim, who took over the reins of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles (PCG-LA) from former Consul General Hellen Barber-De La Vega.
Herrera-Lim was appointed to head the LA consular post because De La Vega was called home to Manila by their mother department, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
Background
Herrera-Lim, a career diplomat, has served in the Philippine government for more than 25 years. Prior to being appointed as Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles, Herrera-Lim was the Philippine Consul General in Chicago.
According to a press release from PCG-LA, Herrera-Lim has also represented the Philippines in the US “as Second Secretary and Consul at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC from 1991-1998 and had frequent interaction with the World Bank Group, Intelsat, US Department of State and US Treasury and in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as First Secretary and Consul and later Minister and Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in London from 2000 to 2007 dealing with government, international organizations and the private sector.”
ConGen Herrera-Lim also served various capacities in the Dept. of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines: Special Assistant in the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy (OUP) and in the Office of of the Undersecretary for Administration (OUA); as Director of the US Division of the Office of American Affairs; and Assistant Director of Treaties Division of the Office of Legal Affairs. He was with the Office of Senator Edgardo Angara and the Regional Trial Court of Bulacan.
“He has extensive experience with foreign governments, international organization and financial institutions. He was intricately involved in the crafting and formulation of Government policies and positions on bilateral, multilateral and special issues. He was also a member of Philippine delegations to the United Nations (UN), Association of South East Nations (ASEAN) and treaty negotiations. He attended trainings, seminars and programs at the Foreign Service Institute in Manila, the United States, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Italy,” the press release further elaborated.
ConGen Herrera-Lim hails from Manila and has a degree in economics and law from the University of the Philippines. He is married to Fidelis Cariño, with whom he has two children: Leonardo Ignatius and Frances Leanne. His family is currently with him here in Los Angeles.
Goals
According to Lim, his goals as Consul General include building on the gains made by his predecessors, and to generate positive attention and awareness in the Filipino community in Southern California, especially in the business and political sectors, and the “society at large.”
Herrera said that this positive awareness is a great part of his objective in gaining respect for the Filipino community.
“Every time we get a higher respect for our people and our community, that’s good for us,” he said.
Given his primary thrust of extending assistance to Filipinos who visit or migrate to the United States, Lim said that the US must reform its immigration system in order to “attract the right talents from countries like the Philippines.”
Herrera-Lim also noted that there are a lot of Filipinos in the US that are looking to give back to their respective towns and provinces in the Philippines.
He said that the Consulate will try to match these US-based Filipinos with Philippine-based groups, organizations, and businesses, who can help them realize their goal of giving back.
Herrera-Lim, who has only been in office for one week as of press writing, praised his team at the Philippine Consulate General. He said that if he combines the years of service of the Consulate’s staff members, it would sum up to over a thousand years of loyal service.
“For the community, if you want to access our service, we’re here for you pretty much 24/7,” Lim said.
Deputy Consul General Imelda said that ConGen Herrera-Lim is very easy to work with, and that he is clear with his objectives. She also noted that with Herrera-Lim’s determination, it is not impossible that they would be able to accomplish most (if not all) of his objectives for the consulate.
Panolong said that some of Herrera-Lim’s objectives include reaching out to the non-active members of the community (especially the second and third generations of Fil-Ams) and have more activities which will not only make a significant impact to the Filipino community, but will extend to society in general. Bing De La Vega (husband of former Consul General De La Vega and head of local Filipino organization PEDRO) said that ConGen Lim’s experience as a veteran career diplomat is very valuable and highly appreciated.
Being a lawyer as well, Herrera-Lim would be a very valuable addition to PCG-LA, added De La Vega.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek April 30 – May 2, 2014 Sec A pg.1)
