In what better way could a grateful community remember its sterling moments with the congenial Alejandro Mosquera, Philippine consul general in Toronto?
Celebrate with ConGen Mosquera his commencement march as he ends in June his tour of duty in Toronto; but in a singular occasion that would mark a glaring spirit of bayanihan (collective cooperation) and unity – for a good cause.
The good cause: Raise $75,000 to put up a Village of Unity of 30 homes and be counted as among those who have helped rebuild the lives of poor and depressed compatriots in the Philippines.
All these are set to happen at the Rembrandt Banquet Hall (930 Progress Ave., Scarborough, Ontario M1G 3T5) on May 22 starting at 6:30 p.m., organizers of the event said.
Fervent wish. In a letter, organizers of ‘Uniting For A Cause – A Farewell Dinner and Dance for ConGen’ stressed Mosquera’s desire to get the community involved “in a legacy that each one of us here in Toronto will cherish forever.”
Mosquera intimated that he was “truly delighted” with the plan of individuals and associations to separately tender despedida parties in his honor, as he finishes his term as consul general in June after a six-year stint.
But if he had his way, he said he would appreciate a single gathering of a people proud of their roots and heritage and engaged in cooperative endeavour to get many of their kababayans freed from the clutches of social and economic misery.
“That is my fervent wish,” he said.
“This would be a salo-salo that will be true to the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos in Toronto,” he added.
“As we bid each other adieu, let us unify for a cause to help the very poor in our country, the Philippines, by completing a Gawad Kalinga village donated by the community in Toronto,” Mosquera stressed.
“Let us be part of a historic achievement by channeling the cost of a separate despidida party into a $2,500 home in the Village of Unity,” he said.
Diplomat. Mosquera got his post as Consul General in Toronto in May 2003, coming from Foreign Service assignments in Baghdad, Iraq; Berne, Switzerland; Honolulu, Hawaii; Hamburg, Germany and Moscow, Russia.
At the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila, he served as Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs and Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs.
Mosquera obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Laws degree at San Beda College, Manila. He attended a Special Course on Development Economics at the University of the Philippines. He is a lawyer and member of the Philippine Integrated Bar.
