PRESS RELEASE
WDC-20-2026
21 April 2026
Embassy Press and Information Section
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippine Embassy joined the PhilFest 2026 in Tampa, Florida, from April 10 to 12, 2026 for its first consular outreach mission of the year.
Consul General Zoilo A. Velasco led the Embassy’s team, providing various consular services, including the processing of 542 passport applications and the reacquisition of Philippine citizenship of 145 individuals.
The three-day outreach, organized in partnership with the Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. (PCFI), reached hundreds of attendees and strengthened connections with the Filipino community. Florida is home to approximately 190,000 Filipinos and Filipino Americans, and this year’s PhilFest marks a milestone 30th anniversary.
In addition to offering essential consular services, the Embassy actively engaged with the Filipino community and participated in the PhilFest activities. Consul General Velasco joined an informative question and answer session on Day 2 of PhilFest, educating festivalgoers about the wide range of consular services available at the Philippine Embassy.
For more information on consular services and upcoming outreach missions, please visit the Embassy’s website philippineembassy-dc.org or email consular@phembassy-us.org.
