DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                             2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                        Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-579-07                                                                                                                                                       19 June 2007

Philippine Embassy , Brasilia celebrates 109th Anniversary 
of  Declaration of Philippine Independence  


Philippine Embassy officials lead the flag raising rites with the Filipino community at the Embassy grounds in Brasilia to commemorate the 109th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.

Ambassador Barsana joins members of the Filipino community at the Santuário da Măe e Rainha de Schoenstatt, where the Filipino community Mass was held after the fla g-raising ceremony at the Embassy grounds.

19 July 2007 — Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Teresita V. G. Barsana reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Embassy in Brasilia marked the 109th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence with a fellowship with the Filipino community on 12 June 2007.  

“Commemorative activities that are focused on attaining solidarity and fellowship with the Filipino community aptly capture the essence of this year´s theme ‘Sama-sama tayo tungo sa pag-asenso,’” Ambassador Barsana said, adding, “the members of the Filipino community in Brasilia, by no small measure, have demonstrated that no matter how far they are from their motherland, their hearts remain closely connected to the Philippines as manifested by their deep sense of love for country.”  

The commemoration began with a flag-raising ceremony at the Embassy grounds in Brasilia . Filipinos residing in Brasilia and outlying cities were on hand to pay tribute to the symbol of Philippine nationhood.

The flag-raising rite was followed by a community Mass at the Santuário da Măe e Rainha de Schoenstatt, a monastery run by German religious sisters, nestled on top of a hill overlooking the city of Brasilia .  The Mass was officiated by Fr. Bonaventure Maria Valles, a Filipino priest who is the Superior of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in the City of Anapolis .  

In a message delivered during the Mass, Ambassador Barsana thanked the Filipino community for taking an active part in the celebrations and praised them for their sense of patriotism and love of country.  END

/jay

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