The Philippine Embassy team from Washington DC recently visited the Island for this year’s consular and labour outreach.

Connecting with the Filipino Association, it fulfilled a number of official duties including the renewal of more than 200 passports, 12 birth reports, eight marriage reports and three oaths of dual citizenship, while more than 300 absentee voters were registered by the team for next year’s Philippine national elections.

Authentication of documents were held by the consular team headed by consul Arlene Magno at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess on May 23 and 24.

The Philippines Overseas Workers Welfare Administration also renewed memberships for Filipino contract workers on the Island.

On May 22, the labour team, led by labour attaché Angel Borja Jr, paid a courtesy call to Premier Michael Dunkley, who was accompanied by Cabinet secretary Derrick Binns at the Cabinet Office.

The Premier welcomed the group composed of Mr Borja, labour officer Oliver Flores, Rowena Comber and Sonia Loudermilk of the Filipino Association and acknowledged the contribution of Filipino workers to Bermuda’s economy.

Mr Borja and the team visited the Department of Workforce Development and met with George Outerbridge, Oonagh Vaucrosson and Lauren Smith to address employment concerns of Filipino workers on the Island. Then the team visited a few business establishments employing Filipino workers.

On May 23, an open forum was held with the Filipino community at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel and was attended by Ms Vaucrosson and Mr Smith from the Department of Workforce Development.

The consul and labour attaché said the Bermuda outreach was a success as they aim to strengthen relations between the Bermuda and Philippine governments.