Cuisia Honors LA Pinoys in Potential Last Visit as PH Ambassador
Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
LOS ANGELES –Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. met with the Los Angeles Filipino community for what may be his last L.A. visit as Philippines envoy to the U.S. He was hosted by outgoing Consul General Leo Herrera Lim.
Cuisia has visited L.A. several times, always making sure to celebrate the hard work and contributions of the country’s largest Filipino hub.
“Filipinos are known to be hard-working, very caring, very diligent, very creative and are willing to take all sorts of jobs, especially our nurses. I’m told by hospital administrators that they love our nurses because they’re willing to work long hours and are willing to take any jobs,” Cuisia said.
With over 100,000 absentee voters in the U.S. and the biggest number of L.A. jurisdiction, the ambassador gave a reminder to Filipinos to cast their ballots.
“Please cast your ballots as early as possible. Some of you have received it in the mail. You have one month up to May 9. Please don’t wait for the last [minute] because our personnel will be overwhelmed when they get 50,000 towards the end of the voting period,” he said.
The ambassador said with a growing number of Filipino workers, they will continue to find ways to assist them even after he departs. Whether it is through worker rights, civic engagements, or social services, they will help.
“We are planning ahead into the next 3 to 5 years to ensure we are able to provide better services to our constituents: the Filipinos and Philippine-Americans in the U.S. There is also a growing number of workers in the healthcare and hospitality industry. We have of course a lot of professionals,” he said.
Cuisia, along with L.A. Consul General Leo Herrera Lim, will finish their term by the end of June.
Lim will return to Manila and the Department of Foreign Affairs, while Cuisia looks forward to spending a more low-profile life as a family man with his grandchildren.
(Source: ABS-CBN.com)