19 July 2012- A two-day celebration marked the 114th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence through activities organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen.
The celebration commenced with a large gathering of the Filipino community from the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi at the Consulate General's premises last June 10.
This was followed by a flag-raising ceremony attended by the Consulate General's officers and staff and their families in the morning of June 12.
A formal dinner was also held on June 12 at the Grand Ballroom of the Kempinski Hotel Xiamen, which was attended by guests from the Fujian Provincial Government, the Xiamen Municipal Government, the consular corps, the business sector, Filipino community leaders and Xiamen media.
Filipino Community Gathering
On June 10, about 220 Filipinos from all over Fujian and Jiangxi provinces gathered at the Consulate General premises to celebrate 114 years of nationhood in the company of kababayans.
The Consulate General's front courtyard was transformed into a fiesta venue complete with tents, banderitas and festive music.
The occasion served as a get-together of the Filipino students, entertainers, teachers, office staff, skilled workers, technical personnel and business executives living within the Consulate General's jurisdiction.
The formal program started at 10:30 a.m. with the singing of national anthem and reading of Independence Day messages of President Benigno S. Aquino III and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario.
In his opening remarks, Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz thanked everyone for celebrating this significant event with their fellow kababayans.
He lauded the community leaders for their continued and invaluable support of the Consulate General's programs and activities, especially in the recently concluded 3rd Nanyang Culture Festival held from April 28 to May 01 at the Xiamen Culture and Arts Center and the Philippine Food Festival at the Xiamen International Seaside Hotel from April 28 to May 08.
The Consul General took the opportunity to remind everyone that the continuing registration/certification of Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) for the 2013 National Elections.
He also briefed the community on the current concerns between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea and urged them to exercise maximum restraint and avoid getting into heated discussions regarding the issue.
After the formal program, a Catholic Mass was celebrated at 11:00 a.m. by Rev. Fr. Joseph Chen, who studied under the Dominican Order of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
At 12:30 p.m., a sumptuous "pananghalian", which featured Filipino dishes (Pork Adobo, Bihon Guisado, Spring Roll, Chicken Barbeque and Puto), was served.
The Filipino Association in Xiamen (FAX), led by its president, Mr. Angelo Austria, took charge of the program in the afternoon which included games, entertainment and raffle draw. The grand prize was a roundtrip ticket (Xiamen-Manila-Xiamen) courtesy of Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Flag-Raising Ceremony
Consulate officers and staff, as well as their dependents, held a flag-raising ceremony at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 12. After the ceremony, all the participants enjoyed a feast of traditional Pinoy breakfast which included Tapsilog, Arrozcaldo and Tokwa't Baboy.
National Day Reception
The traditional formal reception on June 12, was another occasion for the Consulate General to gather together local Chinese government officials, Filipino community leaders, Filipino and Chinese businessmen and other friends of the Consulate from the consular corps, the academe, travel agencies, including private sector partners who have supported the Consulate General and its projects through the years.
Highlighting the robust ties between the Philippines and Fujian, especially in trade and people-to-people exchanges, the Consul General remarked, "Through brisk trade, investment tourism and people-to-people exchanges, the Philippines and China have a stable and mutually-beneficial friendship founded on trust, reciprocity and the rule of law. Nowhere is the closeness of this friendship felt more strongly than here in Fujian Province, where our partnership is rooted in blood and kinship ties spanning hundreds of years."
In referring to this year's Kalayaan 2012 theme, Consul General Cruz encouraged all the Filipinos to take inspiration from our countrymen who excelled in their chosen fields, thereby carrying on the legacy of solidarity and nationhood from our forefathers."
The Consul General also expressed his gratitude the various foreign affairs offices and private firms/individuals for their tireless support of the Consulate General's activities.
Vice Chair of Fujian Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Madame Chu Yan Li and Vice Chair of Xiamen Municipal Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Mr. Huang Pei Qiang were the evening's guests of honor.
Both delivered speeches on behalf of the local government and toasted to 114 years of Philippine independence.
