The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong was
first established as a Consulate in March 1947 by then Vice Consul
Emilio D. Bejasa. By special arrangement with the American Consulate
General in Hong Kong, the Consulate conducted business at the office of
the former at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building. On August 1,
1947, the Consulate's office was moved to the Filipino Club House in
King's Park in Kowloon. Three months later, it transferred to the Marina
House at Queen's Road, Hong Kong.
Following the closure of the Philippine Legation in
Nanking in 1949 and Philippine consular posts in Shanghai and Amoy, the
post's workload increased significantly. With the ensuing expansion of
its staff complement, the Consulate transferred in 1956 to a bigger
office space at No. 901 Tower Court Building, Hysan Avenue in Causeway
Bay.
In 1958, the Consulate was elevated to the status of
a Consulate General with Ambassador Eduardo Rosal as the first Consul
General.
The Consulate's ever-increasing volume of business
transactions necessitated yet another transfer on June 1, 1966 to the
more spacious Lee Gardens Building nearby. Consul General Carlos A.
Faustino headed the new office, followed by Consul General Simeon Roxas.
Consul General Rafael A. Gonzales succeeded Consul General Roxas in
1970, followed by Consul General Felicidad Bengzon-Gonzales in 1976.
On October 1, 1977, the Consulate transferred the office to the
8th floor of the Hang Lung Bank Building, 8 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay.
Consul
General Vicente G. Reyes headed the post from July 1986 to January 1990. During his tenure, the Consulate moved to the 21st
and 22nd floors of the Regent Centre at Queen’s Road
Central. He was succeeded
by Consul General Antonio P. Villamor whose tour of duty covered the
period March 1990-October 1993.
As
more Consulate staff and attached service personnel were assigned to
Hong Kong to attend to the growing number of the Filipino community and
to promote the country's interests, the next Consul General, Ofelia B.
Castano, transferred the Consulate to Room 602, 6th Floor United Centre
Building, 95 Queensway in 1994.
Consul Farita Aguilucho served as Acting Head of the Consular Post from
1995 until February 1996 when Consul General Estrella A. Berenguel
assumed her post as head of the Philippine Consulate General.
Following the handover of Hong Kong from the United
Kingdom to the People's Republic of of China effective 1st July 1997,
the Governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of
the Philippines signed an agreement on 26 November 1996 for the
maintenance and continued operation of the Philippine Consulate General
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Thus, Consul General
Berenguel became the first Consul General of the Philippines to the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region starting July 1, 1997.
Ms. Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson succeeded Ms.
Berenguel as Consul General of the Philippines in Hong Kong when the
former assumed her post on 21 August 1999.
Upon Consul General Collinson’s initiative, the Consulate moved
to its present location at the 14th Floor of the United
Centre Building, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, under a lease-purchase
arrangement.
Consul General Victoria S. Bataclan succeeded Ms. Collinson and held
office briefly before being assigned as ambassador to Sweden.
Consul
General Bataclan was succeeded by Consul General Corazon L.
Belmonte-Jover, who was Head of Post from December 2003 to January 2006.
The
incumbent Head of Post is Consul General
Alejandrino A. Vicente.
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