Presidents of Pangasinan groups in US launch leadership club

Officers and members of the Pangasinan Presidents Club USA (PPC USA) with Consul General in San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto at inauguration. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO – Present and past presidents of Pangasinan organizations in the United States came together to pool mobilizing experience and resources for the benefit of the communities they serve.

The Pangasinan Presidents Club USA (PPC USA), composed of present and past Presidents of various Pangasinan-led organizations in Northern California and beyond, held its inaugural banquet and ball in South San Francisco on November 19.

With the goal of uplifting the profile of Filipino-Americans across the United States, the organization hopes to become a model for Filipino organizations in the nation.

Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. lauded the organization’s vision, reminding its members of the Philippines’ and the Filipino people’s history of helping other peoples and nations in need, such as when the Philippines generously opened its doors to Vietnamese, Jewish and Russian refugees.

He challenged the members to share best practices in steering their constituents and serving the community. He added that while 3.5 million of the Filipino diaspora reside in the United States, Fiipinos remain under represented in government.

Bensurto encouraged the leaders to foster “our spirit of bayanihan” and reach out to the youth and spark their interest in Filipino culture and connecting “with one another and with the Philippines.”