Public Service Announcement For Filipino-Americans and Dual Citizens

Public Service Announcement
For Filipino-Americans and Dual Citizens
September to October 2021

1. Consulates Open for New Absentee Voter Registration, Deactivated Voters may Reinstate via Zoom. Must Register by September 30 deadline.

2. Latest Official Travel Bulletins for those Planning a Trip to the Philippines

3. Save Filipino Lives, Donate Vaccines to the Philippines. Coalition of Fil-Am Chambers’ goal -- to send $250K worth of vaccines to needy Filipinos. Send a $25 donation and save a life.

4. Hurricane-Devastated Louisiana may again need help from Fil-Am Community.

5. Revived Philippine Consular Outreach Scheduled in Dallas on November 6 and 7, 2021. New Orleans and Albuquerque to follow. The L.A. Consulate has done San Diego, Las Vegas and Palm Springs to follow.

6. Kumustahan sa Embahada. You are invited to an info session with SSS, PhilHealth and Pagibig on Sept. 28, 2021.

7. Links to national Fil-Am Newspapers

 
CONSULATES ARE OPEN FOR NEW ABSENTEE VOTER REGISTRATION, DEACTIVATED VOTERS MAY REINSTATE VIA ZOOM BY SEPTEMBER 30 DEADLINE.
If you are a Filipino Citizen or a Dual Citizen living in the U.S., you are eligible to vote by mail in the 2022 presidential elections in the Philippines. But if you are a first-time Absentee voter, or if you have been deactivated for failing to vote in the last two elections, you have to register by the September 30 registration deadline. You may show up in person at your nearest consulate to register or re-register. In Houston, the Consulate will be open on the last three Saturdays of September from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm to accommodate absentee voter registrants. NO APPOINTMENT IS NECESSARY on any day of the week if only going to the Consulate to register. There is no fee to register.

Applications for Registration/Certification transfer of registration records, change of name due to marriage or court order/correction of entries in the Voter's Registration Record, Reactivation, and change of address may also be filed until 30 September 2021.

Important: About one-third of registered overseas voters (26,000 in L.A., SD, TX, NV, AZ and NM alone) have been deactivated because they did not vote in the last two elections. Many did not vote because they did not receive their ballots, either because they changed addresses or due to clerical or shipping mistakes by government personnel. If you were under the jurisdiction of the L.A. Consulate before last year and you are not sure if your name is on the deactivated list, we suggest you access the L.A. Consulate’s website and see if your name is on their alphabetical list.: https://www.philippineconsulatela.org/other-services/overseas-voter-information

Wherever you are in the U.S., if you have been deactivated and wish to be reinstated, you may do so either by showing up at the Consulate’s office between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm (appointment not required) OR you could do it via ZOOM by accessing and filling out the application form (OVD-1) in the COMELEC’s website. Click on: https://irehistro.comelec.gov.ph/irehistro/ovf1  and submit the scanned copy of the completed OVF-1 form by sending an email to ov.concerns@comelecgov.ph;  or by Facebook Messenger via https://fb.com/overseasvotingph  COMELEC-OFOV will then schedule a videoconference with the applicant for identity verification and oath taking.  For more information on these options, click on the attached DFA-OVS Advisory or access your Consulate’s website:

Los Angeles Consulate:
https://www.philippineconsulatela.org/other-services/overseas-voter-information
Email: losangeles.pcg@dfa.gov.ph

Houston, Texas Consulate:
https://houstonpcg.dfa.gov.ph
Email: pcghouston.ov@gmailcom

Links to Other Philippine Embassies and Consulates:
https://dfa.gov.ph/about/dfa-directory/our-foreign-service-posts-dfa
 

LATEST TRAVEL ADVISORY NO. 20 ON COVID-19 FOR THOSE PLANNING TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Philippine Consulates in the U.S., wishes to inform the public that pursuant to IATF Resolution No. 135, dated 26 August 2021, all incoming travelers to the Philippines are mandated to visit the One Health Pass website and use its registration system prior to traveling to the Philippines. The website may be accessed through this link: https://onehealthpass.com.ph/

 The One Health Pass of the Bureau of Quarantine and the Department of Transportation One Stop Shop shall be used to process the mandatory health protocols and quarantine requirements of international travelers from departure at point of origin to arrival and onward destination in the Philippines beginning 01 September 2021. The One Health Pass website also includes useful information for travelers to the Philippines such as the list of accredited quarantine facilities and the international arrival process for all arriving travelers.

 For further inquiry on this subject, access the website of the Philippine Consulate nearest you.


SAVE FILIPINO LIVES, DONATE VACCINES FOR THE PHILIPPINES. Coalition of Fil-Am Chambers (COFACC) and FACC Foundation to send $250K worth of vaccines to needy Filipinos.

Filipinos and friends of Filipinos in America can literally save lives by donating vaccines for  Filipinos in the Philippines where the vaccination rate is just hovering at less than 12%.  A personal minimum donation of $25.00 for one dose of vaccine at www.cofacc.org  will help the Save Lives Campaign organizers reach their $250K goal and make a huge difference in Filipinos’ lives.

The FACC Foundation along with the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI) united and signed a Memorandum Of Understanding on Tuesday, August 10th, 2021 thereby making the “Save Lives, Donate Vaccines for the Philippines” official. The event was held virtually as the organizations and witnesses were widespread throughout various time zones with about 140 in attendance.

From the Philippine government side, the virtual MOU signing event was attended by no less than the Hon. Philippine Department of Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez III,  H.E. Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel “Babes” Romualdez, Hon. Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Asst. Secretary for Civilian Security Adelio Angelito Cruz,  Hon. Philippine Consulate Generals Edgardo D. Badajos of Los Angeles and Jerill G. Santos of Texas,  Hon. Consul of Washington & Oregon Atty. Eric Tadeo and Hon. Consul of Texas Ethel R. Mercado.
 
COVID-19 has affected countless lives and industries globally.  In the US, more than 52% of the nation is fully vaccinated with a population of 333 million who have fairly easy access to the COVID-19 vaccines. The Philippines has only achieved a fully vaccinated rate of 11.6% of its population of 111 million with critical challenges with the supply of the vaccines.  The FACC Foundation, COFACC, and PCCI has taken a stand to help the Philippines improve its vaccination numbers as the vast majority are yet to receive their doses.

Tourism has taken a major hit in the Philippines due to the pandemic.  With lockdowns in place and with lengthy mandatory quarantines for anyone coming into the Philippines it just makes recovery for tourism that much more difficult.  Families from US and Philippines are forced to cancel or postpone long awaited vacations, reunions, and other priceless events.  People suffer emotionally, financially, and physically.

Watch a two-minute video about this noble project:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/17INMTBSo-bN1oSbRUc9MhhANuaJ5iz1-/view?usp=sharing 

We deeply care about the well-being of our fellow kababayans and relatives back home in the Philippines who are now under heavy attack by COVID-19. Thousands of people are dying every day due to inadequate facilities and lack of vaccines. We appeal to you for help. We hope you will find it in your heart to donate and save a life today!  The price you pay for one dinner will buy one dose of vaccine, which may be the most priceless gift that you can give.  To make a tax-deductible donation of any amount, please visit https://cofacc.org/save-lives


LOUISIANA SLAMMED AGAIN BY THE STRONGEST HURRICANE THAT EVER HIT THE COUNTRY, VICTIMS NEED HELP
Hurricane Ida, the strongest hurricane that ever hit Louisiana, slammed the state before moving on to wreak havoc in the northeast US and left massive devastation in its wake. More than 1 million were without power in Louisiana for days, and damage is estimated in the billions of dollars. Texas Fil-Ams promptly came to the rescue of the hurricane victims in past years in their neighboring state, from sending Filipino engineers to repair their damaged communication towers to physically rescuing and housing hundreds of Filipino families who evacuated, to gathering food and clothes donations. The damage is still being assessed as the waters have receded, and the Texas Fil-Ams are once again ready to extend help, as needed. There is a large Filipino population in and around New Orleans and we are still waiting for official reports on the need for rescue and relief assistance.

REVIVED CONSULAR OUTREACH SCHEDULED IN DALLAS ON NOV. 6 & 7, 2021, New Orleans and Albuquerque to follow. L.A. Consulate has done San Diego, Las Vegas and Palm Springs to follow.
The Consular Outreach program of the Philippine Consulate hosted and sponsored by PACC Texas in Dallas, Houston and Rio Grande Valley and saved about 40,000 Filipinos in Texas and neighboring states more than $20 million in travel costs in the last 10 years was suspended last year due to the pandemic. According to North Texas Consul Ethel R. Mercado, the Philippine Consulate General in Houston will re-start the Consular Outreach mission in Dallas in November.  Please circulate this to your own circle of friends, especially the senior citizens who may otherwise have difficulty traveling to the Consulate.

Watch for the announcement and instructions for the Outreach which will be published in the Houston Consulate’s website -https://houstonpcg.dfa.gov.ph thirty (30) days before the event. The same policies and procedures used in past years will be followed: Strictly by appointment only. Absolutely no walk-ins. Please do not call the consulate to request an appointment, instead follow the instructions that will be published in the Consulate’s website. From experience, appointments will run out quickly so secure your slot as soon as you see the instructions.

New this year: Because COVID-19 is still upon us, masks and distancing will be strictly enforced. Proof of vaccination or recent (72 hours) negative test result will be appreciated to protect yourself and others. Very important to show up only at your appointed time. There will be no room in the processing area for people to wait, hang out, or socialize. Only applicants will be allowed in the processing area. Stick to your appointed time and don’t be late, or you will forfeit your turn.
KUMUSTAHAN SA EMBAHADA. You are cordially invited to attend an info session with SSS, PhilHealth and Pagibig on September 28, 2021
 
LINKS TO NATIONAL FIL-AM NEWSPAPERS

Enjoy these great current editions:
One Philippines Texas_August-September_ 2021_FULL COLOR__
One Philippines Texas_July-August 2021_Full Color_

Philippine Post:
https://philpostblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/philippine-post-pages-1-18-sept.-3-2021.pdf
https://philpostblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/philippine-post-pages-1-18-aug.-20-2021.pdf

FilAm Star:
https://filamstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/FilAmStar-Sept09-15-Issue648.pdf
https://filamstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FilAmStar-Aug19-25-Issue645-New.pdf