PIDC hosts farewell party for Congen West

PIDC hosts farewell party for Congen West

The Philippine Independence Day Council (PDIC)  hosted an evenin despedida – farewell party for the outgoing Philippine Consul General-Toronto Junever M. Mahilum-West on March 20, 2015 at Casa Manila North York. After serving for more than 3 years in the Toronto consulat post and recently promoted, Mahilum-West will now assume her diplomatic assignment  as the new Philippine Ambassador to Jordan.

onorable West flanked by PIDC Board, Council of Leaders, CMC guests and other notable leaders of the community

Organized by officers and members of PIDC and led by president Norma Carpio and her 2 vice presidents Gene Elamparo and Rory Elefano, the  dinner event was attended by more than 70 notable leaders and personalities from various FilCan community and Ontario multicultural, social and political organizations.

Among those who graced and said goodbyes to the departing ConGen were members of the Liberal Caucus. MP candidates Michael Levitt (York Centre), Bill Morneau (Toronto Centre), Salma Zahid ( Scarborough Centre), Omar Alghabra (Mississauga Centre), Gary Anandasangree (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Zubair Patel and Mazhar Shafiq, representatives of MP Arnold Chan and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, respectively.Present too were: Michele Serrano, MP Scarborough Southwest nomination candidate and Julia Krupa, M. Levitt’s assistant.

Ambassador West receiving a token of appreciation from PIDC President Norma Carpio

Also in attendance were officers of Canadian Multicultural Council- Asians in Ontario (CMC-AO), namely: Henry Lee, Joe Chen and Mr and Mrs Sid Ikeda.

The PIDC Board and Council Members present were: Amy Ada, Verth Bugtong, Pedro Carpio, Gene Elamparo, Aris and Rory Elefano, Helen Lao, Aimee Maravilla, Minda Neri, Jesse Pacetes, Roy Start, Vilma Tahsin, Roger Tarca, Nene and Nanding Ticzon, Vincent Treyes and Al Tupe.

The 5-hour evening celebration of kumustahans sans iyakan, speeches, singing, native cuisine dining, photo ops and selfies, networking and fellowship was ably coordinated by event chair Suzy Llanera.

Seated, from left: Nene, Gene, Hon. West, Norma, Minda and Vilma; standing, from left: Mercy, Helen, Rory, Suzy, Tom and Tony San Juan.

In her closing remarks, PIDC prexy Norma Carpio aptly thanked the guests, her officers and members and bade her official pamamaalam  to the charming and  admirable ConGen.

The evening’s highlights centred on the presentation of plaque and token of appreciation by PIDC prexy N. Carpio to ConGen J. M. Mahilum-West and as well, the  cutting of cake, courtesy of Casa Manila’s Mila Nabor-Cuachon and karaoke sing-alongs.

In her farewell address, Ambassador Mahilum- West expressed her profound appreciation to the PIDC and the community for honouring her with such a memorable celebration. She reiterated her wishes that Filipinos in Toronto and their relatives and  friends “will continue to support the homeland by becoming dual citizens, election- active, participating in organized trips and visits to the Philippines and generously contributing for the progress and development” of our beloved native land…. ang ating bansang Filipinas.

(PRESS RELEASE/Tony San Juan)

Suzy Llanera, Event Chair and Tom Tan, emcee

Jose Baking, Rafael Nebres, Anita Diaz

Liberal MP Michael Levitt, Minda Neri, Vilma Tahsin, Junever Mahilum-West, Liberal MP Bill Morneau, Amy Ada and Roger

Liberal Omar Alghabra and guest, Liberal MP Michael Levitt and Julia Krupa