ABOUT 1FM, INC.

The First Filipino International Movement (1FM), founded and led by Georgian
Honorary Consul Thelmo Cunanan Jr. Our objective is to promote and sponsor
historic achievements by Filipinos all over the world. We have successfully
carried out major projects in Europe and Africa since 2014.
This 2016, 1FM is embarking on its most ambitious project to date--the First
Filipino English Channel Swim that will take place in August this year. If
successful, this will be the first crossing by Filipino swimmers of the sea passage
that separates the United Kingdom and France. The challenge is considered the
Mount Everest of open water swims and will be a test of physical and mental
strength, courage, sheer human will and heart.
The First Filipino English Channel Swim Team (FFECST), will be captained
by Filipino aquaman Atty. Ingemar Macarine of Bohol, one of the most powerful
and accomplished open water swimmers in the country. He will attempt to swim
the channela distance of 35 kilometers in the icy waters of the North Atlantic
clad in nothing more than ordinary swimming trunks, swim cap, and goggles, as
per official English Channel swim rules. We expect the swim to be completed in
approximately 13 - 15 hours, given weather conditions and currents. Macarine
has already been training for this challenge, with plenty of regular open water
swims all over the country and multiple sessions in the cold water pool of the
Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City.
This swim will be to celebrate international friendship and to raise awareness of
climate change and global warmingcore advocacies of the First Filipino
International Movement. The August event will also include maritime protection
art exhibits in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in cooperation with partner-NGOs
Ocean Security International (OSI) and Earthsavers UNESCO Artists for Peace.

1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,

1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260

MEDIA RELEASES: ENGLISH CHANNEL SWIM

PHILIPPINE STAR: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2016/02/21/1555262/first-filipino-movementhold-historic-english-channel-swim-august
BUSINESS MIRROR: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/historic-conquest-of-english-channel/
CONCEPT CENTRAL: http://conceptnewscentral.com/index.php/2016/02/17/pinoy-swim-team-tocross-english-channel/
SPIN.PH
:
http://www.spin.ph/fitness-health/active-lifestyle/lawyer-triathlete-to-attempt-1stfilipino-english-channel-crossing-this-august

COLORS OF HOPE 2: 2015 EUROPEAN ROADSHOW

GEORGIAN CONSULATE MOUNTS SUCCESSFUL THREE-CITY

EUROPEAN ART ROAD SHOW
1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,
1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260

The Consulate of Georgia in the Philippines, led by Consul (a.h.) Thelmo

Cunanan Jr, the Dean of the Corps of Honorary Consuls of Georgia, has
organized a successful three-city European art roadshow of Georgian-inspired
paintings. The exhibitions were held in Innsbruck, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia;
and Paris, France from November 29 to December 13, 2015.
The exhibit, entitled Colors of Hope 2: The European Roadshow was in
celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Georgias Independence, Georgian
Culture, International Friendship, and Climate Change Awareness and featured
the paintings of master Filipino visual artist Pancho Piano. The latter was the first
Filipino artist to formally exhibit in Georgia and the Caucasus.
Mr. Pianos first exhibition, entitled Colors of Hope was organized by Consul
Cunanan at the Shalva Amarinashvili Museum of Fine Arts of the Georgian
National Museum in Tbilisi last November and December 2014. During his stay in
Georgia, Mr. Piano was a guest of Consul Cunanan and the Georgian National
Tourism Administration, which brought the artist all over the country in order to
paint its landscapes, sceneries, and monuments.
Colors of Hope 2: The European Roadshow started in Innsbruck, Austria on
November 29, where it opened at the gallery of Management Center Innsbruck,
in partnership with Honorary Consul of the Philippines Dr. Christian Traweger
and MCI Director General Andreas Altman. Present during the opening night
were prominent Austrians, led by guest of honor Dr. Herwig Van Staa, President
of the Regional Assembly of Tyrol.
I am very pleased to formally open this exhibition and extend my congratulations
to the honorary consuls and the MCI for hosting this successful event, said Dr.
Van Staa. This is a special occasion as I have been to Georgia and have very
good ties to the country. As former mayor of Innsbruck, Dr. Van Staa was
instrumental in establishing a sister-city relationship with Tbilisi. He is also a
close personal friend of Ms. Gabriela Von Hapsburg, the former Georgian
Ambassador to Germany.
From Innsbruck, the exhibition travelled to Bratislava, Slovakia, where it was
exhibited on December 4 at the ICT Gallery on Venturska Street, in the citys
historic, medieval town center. The event was co-organized by Georgian
Ambassador Alexander Nalbandov and Georgia Consul (a.h.) in Slovakia Franco
Pigozzi and was attended by members of the diplomatic and consular corps and
art aficionados. This was the first cultural initiative of the Corps of Honorary
Consuls of Georgia.
I wish to congratulate Consuls Cunanan and Pigozzi for this initiative. This is
truly a unique exhibition as it promotes Georgia through the eyes of a Filipino,
master painter Pancho Piano, said Ambassador Nalbandov. This initiative of
1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,
1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260

Georgias honorary consulsFranco Pigozzi from Italy and Thelmo Cunanan

from the Philippinesis a fine example of successful international cooperation.
This is also a special reunion for me with Consul Cunanan with whom I worked
very closely several years ago on the issue of the release of Georgian sailors
wrongfully detained in the Philippines.
For his part, Consul Cunanan thanked Ambassador Nalbandov and Consul
Pigozzi for their help in organizing the exhibit and promised that there would be
more CHCG initiatives to promote Georgia in 2016.
From Slovakia, the exhibition travelled to Paris, France, where Consul Cunanan
presented the paintings at the COP21 United Nations Climate Change
Conference as an example of the multinational effort to raise awareness of global
warming through the arts. Congratulations to Consul Cunanan for his efforts to
raise awareness of climate change through this beautiful Georgian-Philippine art
exhibit, said COP21 Delegate Senator Heherson Alvarez of the Philippine
Climate Change Commission. It is through arts that we can reach and touch
peoples hearts and make them realize the problems facing the world. This is arts
and social change in action. The paintings were also exhibited at the gala of
French socio-civic and cultural organization Paris Glamour, which was held in the
citys trendy Rue de lAnonciation district.
The paintings will once again go on display in Manila in February, in preparation
for their mid-year exhibition in the United Kingdom and Ireland in July/August.
For more information about our events and activities, please contact our Public
Relations & Media Director: Melissa Grace Dizon Mobile: +63 917-3791738 or
email: mel@dizon.ph and LIKE our pages on facebook: Honorary Consulate of
Georgia in the Philippines, ConsulCunanan and First Filipino International
Movement.
Colors of Hope 2: The European Roadshow is a project supported by the
following sponsors: MALDITA, Chancellor 9000, Mario D Boro and Cardams
Shoes and Casa San Miguel Resort, Zambales.
MEDIA RELEASES: COLORS OF HOPE 2
MANILA TIMES: http://www.manilatimes.net/art-exhibit-by-georgian-consulateon-its-last-leg/233395/
ARTPLUS
MAGAZINE:
http://www.artplus.ph/features/colors-of-hope-2-theeuropean-roadshow-a-success
CAUCASUS
consular/

BUSINESS

WEEK:

http://cbw.ge/georgia/georgias-honorary-

1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,

1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260

FIRST FILIPINO ART EXHIBIT IN GEORGIA: COLORS OF HOPE

1FM, INC. has featured the works of MR. PANCHO PIANO as the first Filipino
artist in Tblisi, Georgia.
The exhibit, was in partnership with Prof. David
Lordkipanidze (Director General of Georgian National Museum) and Dr. Lela
Tsitsuashvili, ran from November 27 - December 3, 2014. A native of Naga
City, Pancho has exhibited all over the world, including Vienna, Berlin, Tokyo,
New York, Rome, Paris, Brunei, and Singapore. This multi-awarded artist was
recently honored as the Most Outstanding Bicolano Artist in 2009. He was also
awarded the My City My SM Award in 2010 and the Orgullo Kan Award for Visual
Arts in 2011. Pancho is the first Filipino artist to officially present his work in
Georgia and the entire Caucasus Region.
MEDIA RELEASES: COLORS OF HOPE 1
BLOG BY BENJAMIN LAYUG: http://firingyourimagination.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-colors-ofhope-exhibit-tbilisi.html#.VxYZFOk0c05
MUNTING NAYON: http://www.muntingnayon.com/page/103945/
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: http://www.dfa.gov.ph/index.php/newsroom/phlembassies-and-consulates-news/4965-filipino-visual-artist-holds-first-exhibit-in-tbilisi-georgia
GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM: http://museum.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=156
MANILA BULLETIN: http://www.mb.com.ph/what-is-the-color-of-hope/

FIRST FILIPINO ROBBEN ISLAND SWIM: RAINBOW OF HOPE

In 2014, our team was also successful in organizing the FIRST FILIPINO
ROBBEN ISLAND SWIM dubbed as RAINBOW OF HOPE: A Celebration of
Philippines-South African Friendship in commemmoration of life of the late
Nelson Mandela, to thank South Africans for their outpouring of support for
Filipinos after Typhoon Yolanda, in cooperation with the Cape Long Distance
Swimming Association (CLDSA) and sponsored by Qatar Airways.
MEDIA RELEASES: RAINBOW OF HOPE
GMA NEWS ONLINE: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/347964/news/pinoyabroad/2pinoys-become-first-asians-to-complete-robben-island-channel-crossing
INQUIRER: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/97743/swim-of-hope-2-pinoys-eye-robben-island-feat
PHILIPPINE STAR: http://www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2014/01/26/1283187/two-pinoys-joinopen-water-swim-mandela-country

1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,

1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260

ABOUT THE CONSUL (A.H.)

Thelmo Cunanan Jr. has been Honorary
Consul of Georgia in the Philippines since
early 2011. He is a businessman, sportsman,
television talkshow host, writer, amateur
aviator, and philanthropist. He laid the
groundwork for socio-cultural and economic
relations between the two countries by
founding the PhilippinesGeorgia Business
and Friendship Association, Inc. in 2003 and
was the first Filipino citizen to formally engage the Georgian government. Consul
Cunanan has worked tirelessly to promote GeorgiaPhilippines relations and
regularly gives radio and television interviews about the subject. He has written
numerous articles about Georgia and is often invited by colleges, universities,
and organizations all over the Philippines to talk about the countrys culture and
heritage.
Consul Cunanan sits on the board of Philippine conglomerate San Miguel
Corporation (Hong Kong). He is the President and Founder of Zoo Crew
Philippines, Inc. and Chairman of the First Filipino Movement. He is a graduate of
the Ateneo de Manila Grade School, High School, College, and Business School
(MBA). Consul Cunanan is the FOUNDING DEAN of the Corps of Honorary
Consuls of Georgia.
As Honorary Consul of Georgia, Thelmo Cunanan Jrs accomplishments include
the ff:
1. FIRST sister-city agreement between Georgia and the Philippines;
2. FIRST academic agreements between Georgian and Philippine Universities and
Colleges;
3. FIRST official Philippine tourism, business, and media delegations to Georgia, in
partnership with the Georgian National Tourism Administration;
4. FIRST Georgian Film Festivals in the Philippines;
5. FIRST Georgian Photo Exhibits in the Philippines;
6. FIRST deployment of Filipino volunteer teachers to Georgia under the Teach and Learn
with Georgia Program of the Ministry of Education and Science;
7. FIRST Georgian TV specials in the Philippines, aired on GNN;
8. FIRST Georgian Food and Wine Dinner for members of the Philippine press, as featured
in Food magazine in November 2013;
9. FIRST Georgian Tourism Campaign (Go Georgia!) in the Philippines, in partnership with
members of the Philippine Travel Agents Association, Inc.
10. FIRST Filipino art exhibition in Tbilisi, Georgia Colors of Hope (December 2014)
11. FIRST inter-agency cooperation agreement between Georgia and Philippines
12. FIRST Georgian local government delegation to the Philippines

Thelmo Cunanans consular office is officially located in Baguio City, the

Summer Capital of the Philippines. However, he maintains offices, staff, and
operations in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. For more info:
www.georgiaconsulphil.com.
1FM, INC. Manila Office Address: Mezzanine Level, La Victoria Building,
1080 P. Campa Street, Samaploc, Manila. Hotline No.: (+63 2) 493-4260