Juneau resident Rebecca Carrillo was sworn in late last month as Philippine Honorary Consul for Alaska, the state labor department announced.
The appointment was approved by the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. with the support of the Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development said in a news release.
Prior to her appointment, Carrillo served more than 25 years as the state lead for Alaska’s supplemental food program Women, Infants, and Children, providing services to low-income participants with nutritional health risks, according to the department.
There are currently more than 30,000 people living in Alaska who have ties to the Philippines, according to the department.Bringing the full-range of consular services in-state will benefit these families, and strengthen historic ties between the two nations.
October is Philippine-American History Month.
“This is an opportune moment to recognize the contributions that individuals of Philippine heritage have made to the economic growth and prosperity of Alaska in the various sectors of our labor market,” said Dr. Tamika L. Ledbetter, Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “We look forward to collaborating with Ms. Carrillo in her new role.”
When conditions allow, Carrillo will travel throughout the state providing consular, passport and immigration-related services to Alaska residents of Philippine heritage. Meanwhile, she can be reached at honoraryconsul.ak.ph@gmail.com or at 209-1178.
