A Filipino lawyer has been elected as a Member of Parliament.
Paolo Garcia, the first of Filipino descent to hold the said position, was sworn in on May 21 as List Member of Parliament in New Lynn for the New Zealand National Party.
Garcia will be a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade committee.
He is a New Zealand-educated lawyer, a community and church leader, and former Consul-General of the Philippines in Auckland.
Before migrating to New Zealand, he practiced law after graduating from the University of the Philippines. He also studied at the COP of the University of Auckland and the Academy of American and International Law in Dallas, Texas.
Garcia also posted on social media that he is looking forward to serving the community.
“Becoming a Member of Parliament is an amazing opportunity to serve all of New Zealand – not only the Filipino migrant community but all migrants, as well. It is such a privilege and I am humbled in the opportunity to work with the National Party caucus.”
He also thanked his friends, family and members of the New Zealand-based Filipinos, the Pinoys Go National.
Photo: MAHVASH ALI/STUFF via https://www.stuff.co.nz
