StarKargo joins Philippine Consulate on Wheels in Seattle

Sept. 1, 2009 - PRLog -- As part of its community outreach efforts, StarKargo, ABS-CBN North America’s cargo forwarding business, supported the San Francisco Philippine Consulate on Wheels’ recent visit to Seattle, Washington.  The outreach was made possible through the partnership with the Filipino Community of Seattle headed by Alma Kern.

Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, California led by Consul Alfonso Ver, provided services that included passport and visa issuance, legal and notarial services, and processing of application for dual citizenship to more than 500 attendees at the Filipino Community Center of Seattle.  StarKargo, through its local agent Joanne Tuazon, provided meals to the staffs of the local host organization and the Consulate and assisted in informing people about the ongoing services.

Aside from the standard consular services, Filipinos based in Seattle and neighboring areas took the opportunity to register as absentee voters for the 2010 presidential elections in the Philippines.  The country’s Department of Foreign Affairs is targeting one million new registrants worldwide with 2,000 of them in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest.

“We’re really pushing and encouraging Filipinos to take advantage of our traveling services by registering to vote,” said Consul Ver. “We remind everyone that voting is a duty and people should exercise their right of suffrage.”

“A lot of people that attended were excited to apply for dual citizenship so they can cast their vote at the next presidential elections in the Philippines,” said Kern.  “They want to be counted.”

“ABS-CBN is actually very active in promoting Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako Ang Simula which calls on Filipinos, especially the youth, to get involved this early by registering as voters and closely watching preparations for the 2010 race,” said Pia Palpal-latoc, Group Product Head for ABS-CBN’s StarKargo and EasyRemit. “Partnering with the Consulate and local organizations this year is a way for us to align with our mother company’s efforts and for StarKargo agents nationwide to be able to connect with the communities that we serve.”

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About ABS-CBN International
ABS-CBN International was created to be of service to the Filipino 15 years ago. With the launch of The Filipino Channel (TFC), the company became the first and most successful Filipino broadcaster in the U.S. The company offers telecommunication, retail, theatricals, money remittance and cargo forwarding services along with philanthropic support of Filipinos and the communities they now call home. Based in Redwood City, California, ABS-CBN International is a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. For more information, visit www.abs-cbnglobal.com.