New Consul General Badajos meets with Vegas’ Fil-Am community during outreach mission 

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PHILIPPINE Consul General Edgar Badajos, who recently took the helm of the Consulate General in Los Angeles, led the team’s first outreach mission in Las Vegas at the beginning of May.

From May 1-2, the outreach efforts held at Santa Fe Station Hotel rendered 609 consular services, including applications for passport renewal, dual citizenship, and legalization services.

The Consulate General in Los Angeles covers Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona, where around 1.2 million Filipino Americans call home.

The weekend activities, which also featured the PH Department of Tourism and Department of Trade and Industry, were conducted in cooperation with Fil-Am organization, FilAm Civic Action International.

“When we serve the Filipino community, we work as a team and we go as a team. We offer a wide range of services, not just consular services, but also tourism, trade and even police services,” Badajos.

On Sunday night, May 2, a meet-and-greet was held at Max’s Restaurant featuring remarks by Badajos thanking the local Fil-Ams for giving back to the Philippines, whether medical missions or scholarships. Community leaders included Gloria Caoile of NaFFAA, Rozita Lee, Minddie Lloyd of Bamboo Bridges, Sonny Vinuya of the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of Nevada’s congressional offices.

Badajos called on the community to support and push the U.S. government to export more COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

“We have already paid for these vaccines — all they need to do is deliver them. We need these vaccines to save Filipino lives and you can help us through your state, federal and local officials,” he said.

He also highlighted the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and the need for more Fil-Am representation in political roles.

Badajos also met with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman to speak about the city’s efforts to recover from the pandemic, especially as workers in the entertainment and hospitality industries, many of whom are Fil-Am, get back to work.

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