23 June 2011 - The Philippine Embassy in Madrid launched a series of activities to commemorate the 113th anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, and the 9th Philippines-Spain Friendship Day.
The celebrations began on June 9 with the launching of "Mes Filipino" with the inauguration of a painting exhibit by Ms. Marivic Rufino at the Museo Nacional de Antropología.
"Mes Filipino" is the month-long celebration organized by the Embassy in close coordination with the Knights of Rizal and the Filipino community to commemorate the three events.The painting exhibit, entitled ROMANZA, features various colorful and lush watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media works done by Ms. Rufino over the years.
In addition to artwork, the exhibit also contains selected poems in Filipino by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.
Spanish and English translations of the poems were provided by Ms. Marne Kilates and Mr. Miguel Realmonte, respectively.
Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas emphasized the importance of celebrating the 150th anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal´s birth and his continuing influence in shaping Philippine history in his remarks during the cocktail reception which was attended by over 150 of the Embassy´s contacts and closest friends.
He strongly encouraged guests to participate in the various activities prepared by the Embassy for the month of June, such as lectures, film showings, exhibitions, and contests.
On June 12, Senator Edgardo J. Angara, together with Ambassador Salinas and in the presence of Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz, inaugurated the Sentro Rizal temporarily housed at the Embassy in commemoration of the 113th anniversary of Philippine Independence and the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal.
The first of its kind in the world, the Sentro Rizal is a repository of all kinds of material relating to the promotion of Philippine history, arts, culture, language and tourism.
One of its main goals is to provide a place where children of overseas Filipino workers can learn about their heritage.
Furthermore, it is envisioned to be a place of research for scholars interested in the Philippines and in the life and heroism of the Philippine national hero, since the establishment of Sentro Rizal is provided for under the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
In his remarks, Senator Angara lauded the Embassy's efforts in establishing the Sentro Rizal and noted the timeliness of the launch coinciding with the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal.
He further noted the appropriateness of Sentro Rizal being first inaugurated in this city given the impact of Madrid on the life of Jose Rizal.
Senator Angara also expressed the hope that more Sentros be opened in other cities in Europe, particularly those that have linkages to Rizal. Another Sentro Rizal is scheduled to be launched at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Madrid before the end of the month.
On the same occasion, Ambassador Salinas and Senator Angara unveiled a plaque naming the Embassy garden Jardin Rizal, dedicated to the memory of Jose Rizal.
On June 14, Ambassador Salinas and his wife Ms. Isabelita Tanseco Salinas hosted a cocktail reception in commemoration of the 113th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and the 9th Día de Amistad Hispano-Filipina (Philippines-Spain Friendship Day) at the Salon Granados of the Hotel InterContinental Madrid.
Senator and Mrs. Edgardo J. Angara were the evening´s guests of honor.
Also gracing the event were over 370 guests composed of members of the diplomatic community headed by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, officials from the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación (MAEC), Spanish business leaders and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in Philippine initiatives, descendants of los ultimos de Baler, Filipinistas, leaders of the Filipino community, and close friends of the Embassy.
The program included remarks from Ambassador Salinas and Senator Angara, the proponent of Republic Act 9187, declaring June 30 of each year as Philippine-Spain Friendship Day.
A video narrating the story of the Siege of Baler was also shown. To cap the program, a group of Filipino-Spanish children danced La Jota Moncadena, a Philippine dance with strong Spanish influence, to the delight of the crowd.
In his message, Ambassador Salinas, spoke of the value of freedom and the need for this to be protected with vigilance and daily sacrifice. He honored the men and women who made Philippine independence possible, and also affirmed the strong ties of friendship between the Philippines and Spain and expressed shared aspirations for both countries.
For his part, Senator Angara stressed the importance and significance of the decree issued by President Emilio Aguinaldo in giving safe passage to the survivors of the Siege of Baler and he noted the current state of friendly relations that exist between the Philippines and Spain. He also encouraged Spanish businesses and individuals to invest in and visit the Philippines.
The ballroom was decorated with traditional gold sinamay and capiz lanterns. A special feature of the evening was an exhibit of 12 winning entries of the 42nd and 43rd Shell National Students Art Competition on loan to the Embassy by Pilipinas Shell in conjunction with Outlook Pointe Foundation. The paintings added a historical and cultural dimension to the evening, highlighting love for country and Spanish influence on Philippine heritage.
The Embassy prepared a sumptuous Filipino buffet consisting of traditional native delicacies - pancit, lumpia, assorted kakanins, and a halo-halo station - to complement the hot and cold hors d´oeuvres served by the Hotel. Tanduay Rhum was made available at the bar.
After the reception, the guests left with eco-friendly bags which said, "100% Filipino," filled with Philippine products such as dried mangoes, Tanduay rhum, calamansi concentrate, turbinado sugar, batangas coffee, coconut sweetener, and Philippine tourism brochures. END