22 September 2004 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo that eight Filipino-Canadian artists, who are members of top caliber and critically acclaimed Philippine Artists Group (PAG), will come home to the Philippines this week and reestablish their ties with the Philippine art world after two decades of absence in the Manila art circles. They will showcase their works in a large-scale art exhibit entitled, Convergence Internationale, that will open on 24 September 2004 at the Artspace  Glorieta 4 in Makati City.

The works of the following P.A.G. artists will be shown at Convergence Internationale until 6 October 2004: Antonio Afable, Jr., Wilfred Alinas, Maria Nellie Bautista, Jhun Ciolo Diamante, Antonio P. Doctor, Tony ‘Dunluna’, Rol P. Lampitoc, Rocille Lampitoc, Romeo C. Mananquil, Calixto Quiachon and Jomedi Rollo. Except for three, these artists are coming home for the first time after the sixteen-year existence of the art organization. Other P.A.G. members are Rolly Abarilla, Paquito Cruzet, Tony Leyco, Maripi  Leynes, Omel Masalunga, Mogi Mogado and Frank Tonido. Some of the members were already well-known names in the Philippine art scene for more than twenty years.

The non-P.A.G. members who will complement the art exhibit are the highly acclaimed BenCab of Baguio, Paris-based Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi, Leonor R. Lim from New York, Jun Bueno Silva from Chicago, Daniel H. Dizon from Pampanga, and Manila artists Rafael Asuncion, Pete Castaneda, Entes Magpusao, Bill Ibanez, Slim Torres, Platon Varquez, and Francisco Verano.
 
In their pursuit to promote Philippine visual arts  in their adopted country and to showcase their talents again in Manila, the Group enjoys the support of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Canadian Embassy in Manila. The P.A.G. head of delegation, former president Romi Mananquil, worked together with Philippine-Canadian Foundation President Bayani Abesamis, Director Pamela Apsay and a core of artist-participants in Manila in organizing the show. “The Filipinos in Canada give their full support for these artists who are not only eager to show their talents to all Filipinos but more so to visit their motherland and enrich their Filipino ties,” Toronto Consul General Alejandro Mosquera said.

An exclusively Filipino art group in Ontario, Canada, the P.A.G. is one of the only two known art association in Canada.  It has evolved into a robust and distinguished organization openly supported by the Filipino community in promoting Philippine culture through the visual arts. (Please refer to PR No. 569 dated 13 September 2004.)  END