Vancouver, British Columbia

“The important thing is this: to be ready at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.” Charles Dickens

Newly installed Vancouver Consul General Madam Maria Andrelita Austria recently addressed the members and directors of the Philippine Canada Trade Council in Burnaby, BC. Madam Austria declares, “It is our utmost concern and goal to meet all the Fil-Canadians in Vancouver and BC to find out about their concerns and issues.”

She continues, “ Our mission is to assist in repatriation, passport issuance and renewals, promote trade to and from the Philippines and Canada and establish rapport with BC’s elected officials.”

ConGen Austria is a seasoned diplomat since 1992 after passing the Foreign Service Oficers’ Examination in 1992.

Prior to her Vancouver assignment, she was Assistant Secretary for American Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila from June 2014 to mid-June 2018.

Consul General Austria coordinated the substantive arrangements for the Philippines Chairmanship of ASEAN from 2006 to 2007, and was instrumental in the drafting of key ASEAN documents.

For her significant contributions to the Philippine Foreign Service, she was conferred the Presidential Order of Lakandula with the rank of Officer by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She has also been bestowed the Gawad Mabini Award by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs with the rank of Dakilang Kasugo. In 2016, she received the Presidential Medal of Merit from President Benigno S. Aquino lll. (Vancouver Consul General Website)

Not only is ConGen Austria multi-awarded, she is also well-educated. She finished a post graduate diploma in International Relations and Development from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague , the Netherlands. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies (Cum Laude) from Maryknoll College in the Philippines. (Vancouver Consul General Website)

She is married to Carlito Eduardo Austria (President of RGE AgriDev Corp). They are blessed with three daughters.

ConGen Austria tells the PCTC audience that just because a Member of Legislative Assembly George Chow was also a guest that night “ it is interesting to note that in Vancouver it is easier to interact with government officials than in Washington, DC.” She adds, “ When President Noynoy Aquino visited Vancouver she was impressed with the strong participation of elected BC officials and civic association officers and members.

Mrs. Austria also announced that the Consul General Office held a “Kapihan Sa Consulate” last month to know more about the plight of the Temporary Foreign Workers and OFWs. She said she will do the next Kapihan in September to hear more from her Pinoy compatriots in Lotusland.

Indeed Vancouverites are blessed to have a seasoned and caring ConGen. PCTC, for one is committed to helping promote trade and investments between the Philippines and BC. In years past PCTC sent trade delegations to RP. The Philippine government trade office has worked with the Vancouver Consulate in sending Pinoy business people and entrepreneurs to Vancouver to drum up trade.

ConGen Austria is not too much in a hurry to make her presence felt in Vancouver. She seems to be a lady with a passionate mission to help her “kababayans” succeed in their adopted land. She definitely wants to convert more dual citizens from Pinoy Vncouverites to also help in RP progress. And we know she is on track. Welcome to Vancouver ConGen Austria!