7 June 2012- A thanksgiving mass was held last June 03 at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (COLA) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam to celebrate the 114th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
The Thanksgiving Mass is one of many events scheduled for the month of June to commerate the celebration of Philippine Independence.
Later, a field registration was held at the COLA for the benefit of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who would be eligible to participate as overseas absentee voters in the coming mid-term elections scheduled for next year.
The Thanksgiving Mass, conducted in Filipino, was celebrated by Bishop Cornelius Sim, the current Vicar Apostolic of the Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei Darussalam.
In his speech before members of the Filipino Community, Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Nestor Z. Ochoa enumerated the significant developments in his first year as Philippine envoy to the Sultanate:
1. The visit of President Benigno S. Aquino III on 1-2 June 2011
"The visit of President Aquino led to the signing of the following agreements:
a. Memorandum of Agreement on Shipping and Ports;
b. Memorandum of Understanding on Sports Cooperation;
c. Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation; and
d. Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security.
The Philippine Embassy will closely monitor the implementation of these agreements to bolster bilateral relations between the two countries," he added.
2. The inauguration and transfer of the Philippine Embassy to its new Chancery located at Jalan Kebangsaan, Diplomatic Enclave Simpang 336-17.
"The new Chancery is a symbol of the close ties between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam; furthermore, plans for Phase 2 of the construction of the new Embassy have already been submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs for approval," he added.
3. The lowering of fees for consular services by an average of more than 17 percent.
"Fees for consular services have been lowered by more than 17 per cent beginning May 2012, which should be welcome news for all OFWs and their families," he noted.
4. The start of the registration period for the overseas absentee voting (OAV).
Ambassador Ochoa urged members of the Filipino Community to actively participate in the coming mid-term elections in May 2013 by registering as overseas absentee voters. "A registration counter will be opened by the Philippine Embassy from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the nearby Conference Room to enable all eligible Filipino nationals to register for the coming polls scheduled for next year," he stated.
5. The Philippine Embassy's support for fund-raising activities for victims of tropical storm Sendong
"I am proud to report that fund raising activities collected B$19,500 in cash donations, which were later sent to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on 16 April 2012," Ambassador Ochoa stated. He added that this "amount does not include donations in kind sent to the Philippines in January 2012 and the collection gathered through the Humanitarian Fund for the Victims of Tropical Storm Washi established by the Brunei Government.
Ambassador Ochoa thanked all those who generously helped the victims of Typhoon Sendong, particularly the Government of Brunei Darussalam.
Noting the current tensions between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal, Ambassador Ochoa urged members of the Filipino Community to close ranks and be united in supporting our government's efforts in achieving a peaceful solution to the matter.
"Now is the time to show our patriotism for our beloved country," he urged.
Ambassador Ochoa concluded his speech by urging members of the Filipino Community "to continue praying for peace, for our country, and for our people."
Immediately after the mass, a fellowship was held at the Parish Hall to celebrate the 30th Founding Anniversary of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at the Parish Hall, while an OAV field registration was held at the nearby Conference Room.
As part of their itinerary in Brunei Darussalam, members of GMA 7's program entitled Motorcycle Diaries ni Jay Taruc documented the Filipino Community gathering at the COLA. Mr. Jay Taruc, the program's host, interviewed Ambassador Ochoa and other members of the Filipino Community during the event. END
