The Philippine Consul General for South Florida in the United States yesterday called on Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia to explore the possibility of developing trade and employment and a sister-city relationship between Bacolod City and Florida.

Dr. Angelo Macatangay said he hopes the relationship will, in turn, also develop sea-based and land-based employment opportunities for Filipinos, since Florida is the "Cruise Capital of the World" and the "Venice of America." He said he has also discussed this with former Bacolod Rep. John Orola Jr., who accompanied him yesterday to the Mayor's Office.

Macatangay said he finds the people of Bacolod warm and hospitable. He said he also met Bago Mayor Janet Torres.

He also said that, aside from hotel people like waiters, bar tenders or cooks, Florida has about 25,000 Filipino seamen, as well as, teachers. He estimated the Filipino population in Florida at about 100,000 to 150,000.

Leonardia expressed confidence that the proposal of Macatangay will be a great opportunity for the city and said he hopes to finalize the plans with him in their future meetings.

Currently, Bacolod has sister-city ties with Keelung, Taiwan and Long Beach, California.

Macatangay said his job affords him the opportunity to help with the problems of Overseas Filipino Workers, especially the seamen. "In my short term as consul, what has saddened me most is that, in spite of the education given in Florida, there are about 10 to 15 Filipino seamen who are now in the Pennsylvania prisons serving 12 to 15 years for drug possession and trafficking," he said. Macatangay said he hopes techniques of education could be developed to help OFW's avoid dealing with drugs because, since the September 11 incident, the embassies in the U.S. have been very strict. He said he also received some testimonials from Filipino prisoners in Florida about how they fell to the temptation, which he said, he will reveal at the right time. This is intended to help educate Filipino seamen before they leave for abroad.

Macatangay is an ear, nose and throat surgeon in New York who was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Consul General for South Florida after his retirement. His father is from Batangas and his mother is from Manila.

"I have been away from the country for 43 years and I think I have learned to understand the perspectives of the Filipino and the problems of the OFW's, and the opportunity of serving our people in the position I now hold," he said.

Macatangay was accompanied yesterday by his wife, Marilou, who was born and raised in San Juan, Rizal. The Macatangays are the parents of actress Amanda Page.*CGS

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