PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL ADVISORY FOR THE WORLD
YOUTH DAY 2008 CELEBRATION IN SYDNEY 

20 November 2007 - The Philippine Consulate General Sydney reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding preparations and arrangements for visiting pilgrims from the Philippines participating in the upcoming World Youth Day (WYD) 2008 Celebration to be held in various venues throughout the City  of Sydney on 15-20 July 2008. 

Philippine Consul General Maria Theresa Lazaro met with Mr. Geoff Morris,  Director for Pilgrim Services and Support and Therese Nichols of the World Youth Day 2008 Team, to discuss ongoing preparations for the upcoming event. According to Consul General Lazaro, "The discussions were very frank and informative. According to the WYD organizers, there are now around 4,000 Filipinos who have registered as pilgrims. With nine months to go, I am very much certain that more Filipinos will join the Philippine contingent and make their presence known during this event." 

The highlight of the WYD 2008 celebrations will begin on 15 July 2008 with an Opening Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell. Catechesis (teaching) sessions and Youth Festival events will be held for the next two days; to be followed by the Stations of the Cross re-enactment throughout the City; the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI and an evening Vigil, culminating in a Mass on 20 July 2008. The Closing Mass will be held at the Randwick Racecourse. 

The WYD organizers expect 500,000 participants attending at least one event during the World Youth Day week. This includes 125,000 overseas pilgrims. A media contingent of 3,000-5,000 is also expected to cover the event. This is the 10^th International World Youth Day since the celebration was begun in 1986 by the late Pope John Paul II. 

Interested pilgrims from the Philippines who wish to join the WYD celebrations are advised to register themselves and regularly monitor the WYD Website for updates and instructions. The WYD website is www.wyd2008.org. There is an accompanying registration fee to participate in the event which does not include the individual's airfare to and from Sydney. The registrant can choose from three registration packages being offered with the corresponding conditions of coverage. The WYD Website lists the following registration package for Filipino pilgrims as follows:

 The WYD website advises, however, that the health cover "is for emergency medical treatment and repatriation to home country. It will cover the package period plus the three days immediately before and after the package period provided that the travel from/to the home country is direct to/from Sydney." 

The Consulate thus strongly advises Filipino pilgrims to take note of the limitations of their selected packages, particularly their health insurance coverage. Filipino pilgrims who may intend to stay for a period beyond the coverage of their health insurance are strongly advised to carefully consider getting additional travel and health insurance to cover unforeseen personal circumstances. 

Consul General Lazaro points out that, "While the WYD organizers are assuring that efforts are being made to make the pilgrims' Sydney experience as memorable and spiritually uplifting as possible, it really helps if the Filipino pilgrim would take due care in getting additional personal health and travel insurance in anticipating possible inconveniences that may arise, especially if the pilgrim decides to stay beyond the event's registration insurance coverage. Moreover, the Filipino pilgrim should be aware that the WYD Sydney is being held in July, when it is considered to be the depth of the winter season in Australia. Although Sydney's winters are usually mild, dry and generally snow-free, the pilgrim should be nonetheless prepared to anticipate temperatures ranging from 18 degrees Celsius in the morning and 8 degrees in the evening and the usual wind chills that may bring the temperature further down. Those intending to reside in the inland suburbs would find the temperatures even colder." 

"The pilgrim should likewise consider that Sydney has a high-cost of living and bear this in mind in seriously planning their expected personal budget in the course of his or her stay." Consul General Lazaro adds. 

Pilgrims are advised that further queries on the World Youth Day 2008 should be directed to the organizers' e-mail address at gle@wvd2008.org. 

There are now 75,000 Filipinos residing in the State of New South Wales, the 11th largest overall ethnic community in the state and the third largest Asian group next to the Chinese and Indians. Ninety percent of Filipino migrants in the state reside within the Greater Sydney area, the largest single concentration of which is located in the City of Blacktown, with more than 20,000 Filipino residents. END.

/Gary