3 July 2012 - The Philippine flag was proudly hoisted for the first time at the Bergen County Administrative Building in New Jersey last June 12.
To mark the 114th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Bergen County Administration, headed by County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan, honored the Philippines and the Filipino-American Community by holding a flag-raising ceremony at the grounds of the seat of the Bergen County Local Government.
Among the highlights of the flag-raising ceremony was the issuance of a proclamation by the County of Bergen citing June 12 as Philippine Independence Day in Bergen County and calling it a "Day of Honor".
The original proclamation was handed over by Ms. Donovan to Philippine Consul General to New York Mario L. De Leon, Jr., who, in his special message, expressed appreciation for the honor bestowed on the Philippines and the Filipino-American Community by the county.
He likewise noted the contributions made by the Filipino-American community to the county's cultural, economic, and social vibrancy.
After the program, guests including Filipino-American residents of Bergen County were treated to traditional Filipino cuisine.
Bergen County, the most populous county in New Jersey, has one of the highest concentrations of Filipino-Americans in the state.
The town of Bergenfield in the county has a flourishing commercial area with a significant number of Filipino-owned restaurants, shops, as well as accountancy, consultancy and travel offices.
