Consul Staff is Woman of the Year

Dolores Sanchez (center) receiving the award from the officers of Amistad de las Mujeres Filipinas and Consul General Eduardo Jose de Vega. Photo by Barcelona Exposure Club

By Freda Changat

Philippine Consulate General staff Dolores Sanchez or ‘Loli’ whom she is fondly called by the Filipino community in Barcelona is awarded Woman of the Year 2010 by the association Amistad de las Mujeres Filipinas.

The award was given during the Mother & Child competition organized by the same association in time for the celebration of Mother’s Day.

Born in Granada, Spain but grew up in the Philippines, she earnestly shared her childhood memories and journey from Spain to the Philippine islands. Her dreams started to shape up while she was living in Tobacco Plantations in the Cagayan Valley. His father’s job promotion brought her to Manila where she finished her studies.

Dolores moved back to Spain where she worked as interpreter for Compañía General de Tabacos de Filipinas in 1977. Because of her fluency in Tagalog and Ilocano, she got appointed as Secretary/Interpreter of the Philippine Consulate in 1988. After two years, she was appointed Honorary Vice-Consul of the Philippine Consulate in Barcelona. Then in 1994, she was promoted to Honorary Consul and took the challenge with much enthusiasm, integrity and dedication.

She earned excellent remarks for her love for work and sincere service to the Filipino migrants in Barcelona. She has spent her professional life in speaking up for those who are least capable to speak for themselves. She has received honors for her work as Translator, Interpreter, Honorary Consul and assistance to Consulate of Barcelona.

Once asked why she stayed long in this service, she simply replied with a smile saying, ¨I learned new things and the experience was gratifying. There was never a dull moment in my 21 years of service to the Filipino community in Barcelona.¨