Paddles, politics and the pulse of New York: DCG Adrian Cruz bids farewell

By Cristina DC Pastor

After years immersed in the dizzying rhythm of New York City, Mr. Adrian Elmer Cruz is now preparing for a new diplomatic chapter by moving to the Philippine Embassy in Vientiane, Laos where he will hold the twin titles Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General.

But before leaving one of the world’s most exhilarating cities, the deputy consul general shared his thoughts about his posting that lasted more than three years.

DCG Ady, as he is fondly called, admits that New York has made a lasting impression on his family, and among the many challenges and opportunities that he had encountered one adrenaline-pumping sports activity stood out.

“My most memorable experience,” DCG Ady recalled, “is helping form a Dragon Boat Team filled up mostly by Filipino diplomats that competed for the first time in the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York in 2025.”

The Philippine Consulate General team did not merely participate — it excelled. Competing in the Asian Cultural Invitational 250-meter category, the PCG team captured third place, a remarkable achievement for a newly formed team.

“Our team reflected the spirit of Bayanihan,” he said. “It was composed of personnel and family members from the Philippine Consulate and the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations.” They were coached by veteran racers, helping transform novice paddlers into fierce competitors.

Held annually in Flushing, Queens, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is one of the largest multicultural festivals in the United States.

“The sport became a tool for team-building and family-bonding,” he added, sharing that his wife Citadel and daughter Bianca, 23, joined the team as well.

The community experience

His years in New York has sharpened his observations about the Filipino American community, particularly its evolving role in American public life.

“To my amazement,” he said thoughtfully, “available demographic studies show Filipino Americans are among the highest earning ethnic groups in the U.S., yet despite their strong economic mobility and high levels of educational attainment, they generally shy away from seeking political representation.”

For DCG Ady, this gap between achievement and political visibility remains one of the most important issues confronting the community.

“It is high time that Filipino Americans get a seat at the table so they have the opportunity to be heard and to make a difference,” he said.

He noted that the Consulate General was established in New York City in 1946, and in those 80 years, those assigned in New York were witness to the growing influence of Filipinos in healthcare, commerce, education, technology and the arts throughout the 10 states that the Philippine Consulate has jurisdiction over, namely: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

“As the community continues to grow,” he said, “I am confident Filipino Americans will realize how to harness their presence and strength and become a more powerful influence in politics, culture and the economy.”

New York state of mind

“There are so many things I will miss,” DCG Ady said expecting, like most departing diplomats do, the question to be raised.  

“There is an abundance of museums, cultural destinations, historical sites and multicultural spaces that make New York special” he said. “Another aspect of New York life I will miss is the convenience of moving around NYC. New York, as I have experienced, can seduce and exhaust at the same time.”

Like many residents of Queens, he developed an appreciation for the borough’s extraordinary diversity. “We live in the borough of Queens,” he says, “and it arguably has the most diverse food scene in the city.”

“A great way to unwind is to try the ethnic culinary treats around the city” he said, “and that is another thing I will surely miss as well.”

From Filipino comfort food to Thai, Indian, Colombian, Korean and Mediterranean cuisine, Queens offered an edible map of the world. The borough became a daily reminder of global interconnectedness.

Still, DCG Ady does not romanticize life in the city. Beneath the glamour and cultural abundance lies a difficult reality familiar to many immigrants and working families.

‘Living in New York City is not an easy choice for families. You can’t help but describe something very obvious about living in New York,” he said. “It’s so expensive!”

For families, he explained, New York presents both opportunity and strain. The city rewards ambition but often demands emotional and financial sacrifice in return. Yet despite the challenges, he said his family experienced some of their happiest and most transformative years here.

“We had a most memorable stay here as a family,” he said in reflection, “and I am grateful that New York unlocked the creativity in all of us.”

Wife Citadel, a cultural educator, held art exhibitions on various themes and conducted workshops with the community on the indigenous writing system Baybayin. Their daughters participated in art exhibits and musical performances.

Cosmopolitan living

There is affection in his voice when he talks about the city, but also realism.

“It’s nice to be a tourist,” he said, “but it’s difficult to live here and try to get adjusted to the cosmopolitan lifestyle and pace of working.”

He observed how the city operates at relentless speed. “New York always makes you feel like you are in constant pressure and living on the fast lane,” he said.

When he first arrived, that pace energized him. Over time, however, he also came to understand the emotional toll city life can take on immigrants struggling to survive, adapt and belong.

“I have met folks who have shared positive experiences but I have also heard stories from our Kababayans that living here can be a source of stress, isolation and disconnection for them as well,” he observed. “Just letting them know that you want to learn how they feel can truly make a big difference.” 

That empathy became part of his work as a diplomat — not simply representing the Philippines abroad, but understanding the realities of Filipinos navigating life far from home.

As he prepares for his next assignment in Laos, he leaves behind more than diplomatic accomplishments. He leaves friendships, shared meals, and community partnerships carved into his memories.

For many in the Filipino community, he will also be remembered as a diplomat who understood that service extends beyond official ceremonies and consular work. Sometimes it means listening. Sometimes it means building bridges. And sometimes, it means picking up a steering oar and paddling together toward a common finish line.