01 March 2017 ROME — Mayor of Perugia Andrea Romizi told Consul General Adrian Bernie Candolada of the Philippine Embassy in Rome that Filipino nationals in his city are known for their fondness of basketball and high degree of social integration.

Mr. Romizi mentioned this observation to Consul General Candolada, who called on the mayor on February 25 at his office on the sidelines of the consular outreach held in his city, namesake and capital of the province of Perugia in the central region of Umbria.

Mr. Michele Fioroni, Counselor for Economic Development and Marketing of Mayor Romizi, even described the Filipino community in Perugia as a “model for social integration,” citing in particular third generation Filipinos who have become successful professionals in the city.

There are about 1,200 Filipino workers in the whole province of Perugia. Ms. Rosalinda Castillo, President of the Filipino Community in Perugia, who has worked in the city for the past 29 years, says the local Filipino community has produced engineers, architects, and medical practitioners.

A city of more than 168,000 people, Perugia is best known for its University for Foreigners, one of the oldest universities in Italy.

Consul General Candolada expressed his gratitude to Mayor Formizi for his kind words for the Filipino community in his city.

He also conveyed the gratitude of Ambassador Domingo P. Nolasco for providing temporary shelter for Filipino families who were displaced by the 6.6 magnitude earthquake in the neighboring town of Norcia on 30 October 2016. END