25 June 2012—The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that it conducted a consular mission to the northern Malaysian state of Penang on June 24.

The mission was held on the occasion of the Pinoy Support Group's (PSG) celebration of the 114th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence and the awarding ceremonies of their sports fest.

Composed of Third Secretary and Vice Consul Johann Veronica Andal, Attaches Normandy Macadangdang, Anabel Espinosa and Eduardo Vinuya, the team processed 29 passport applications, two report of marriage, three notarials, provided assistance to five assistance to nationals cases, and facilitated the registration of 10 new voters for the overseas absentee voting (OAV).

During the event, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Andal thanked the Filipino community in the area for their observance of Philippine Independence Day, and also reminded them that there are still more to be done to help the country.

"You are not just our new heroes, but also our tourism ambassadors, as you show those around you the beauty and the spirit of the Philippines. You must also realize that you need to take part in deciding the future of the country. One way of doing that is by registering as an overseas absentee voter, so you will have a voice in choosing the leaders who will chart the country's future," she said.

The Filipinos in Penang, led by PSG President Engr. Hermie Camba, expressed their appreciation to the Embassy and the team for attending the event and providing consular assistance to those present.

Penang is about six hours away by car from Kuala Lumpur and is home to some 2,000 Filipinos, most of them engineers and skilled workers in the semiconductor industry.