POLO Vancouver joins Consular Outreach in Edmonton, Alberta

POLO Vancouver joined the recent outreach services of the Philippine Consulate of Calgary held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Edmonton, Alberta last 12-15 July 2022.

The POLO Team led by Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul, Jr., OWWA Welfare Officer Lilia Guzman and AS Neil Justin Nicolas, extended various services to Filipino temporary workers  including verification of employment contracts and OEC documents, labor rights counselling, workers’ registration and issuance of OWWA membership, among others.  POLO Vancouver’s jurisdiction covers the 5 Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan, which are under the separate consular jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulates in Vancouver and Calgary, respectively.

During the consular mission, the POLO Team likewise conducted worksite visits and inspection of several companies to monitor the working and living conditions of the Filipino workers. An Info Session on worker’s rights and welfare was also organized in collaboration with the Catholic Social Services Center (CSSC) which was held at the Intercultural Center of Edmonton through the assistance of Settlement Officer Edwin Silang. The CSSC has been actively proving orientation and community orientation services, support programs and legal assistance to foreign workers and newcomers. The team also met with Edwin Chavez of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Services (CCIS) and discussed possible collaborative projects for the benefit of Filipino temporary workers including the holding of TFW seminar to be held in Calgary later this year.

The POLO Team also met with Consul General Zaldy Patron of the Philippine Consulate in Calgary on the occasion of the opening of the Philippine Trade Expo Canada 2022 held at the West Edmonton Mall on 15 July 2022. Earlier this month, the POLO and OWWA representatives also joined the consular mission held at Grand Prairie, Alberta.