GOVPH

08 July 2013 - As with other Filipino communities throughout the world, Filipinos in Chile joined their countrymen back home in celebrating the 115^th Anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence.

Though modest by comparison to celebrations in other parts of the world having relatively large Filipino communities, and even as the Embassy downsized this year’s celebration due to budgetary constraints, its only activity—a fiesta celebration with the Filipino community—more than made up for it in fervor and enthusiasm.

The event was held at the Embassy on June 09.  Over 150 members of the community and their families and friends were able to attend the occasion. 

What set the celebration apart from earlier ones was that the weather was exceptionally warm and sunny, with a pleasant, spring-like temperature of 18°C.  As a precaution against the sudden cold, a large walled canopy was set up at Embassy’s patio.

Philippine Ambassador to Chile Ma. Consuelo Puyat Reyes, assisted by Minister Paul Vincent Uy, led the flag-raising ceremony and singing of the national anthem at the chancellery grounds.  She then read President Benigno S. Aquino III’s message to the Filipinos. This was followed by a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Fr. Richard A. Aguinaldo, SVD, with Sister Justine Abache and Mr. Eriberto C. Castillo providing the music for the liturgy.

In his homily, Fr. Aguinaldo gave draw parallelisms between Philippine Independence Day and Jesus’ calling back to life a widow’s dead son as narrated in the gospel.  Both occasions, he said, are significant as they denote hope and deliverance—a passage from a lower state to a higher state—for which all must be grateful.  Fr. Aguinaldo also paid tribute to Ambassador Puyat-Reyes and the Embassy’s staff for their unwavering support and care for the local Filipino community.

Towards the end of the mass, Ambassador Puyat-Reyes spoke briefly and acknowledged the presence of her diplomatic guests, namely: Ambassador Ibrahim Awawdehof Jordan, Ambassador Carlos Pareja of Peru, Ambassador Aloysious Lele Madja of Indonesia, Ambassador Euiseung Hwang of Korea, Ambassador Hidenori Murakami of Japan, Ambassador Ganeson Sivagurunathan of Malaysia, Ambassador John Eliot Capper of New Zealand, Ambassador Timothy Kane of Australia, Ambassador Surapon Petch-Vra of Thailand, and Ambassador Francisco Borja Cevallos of Ecuador, most of whom came with their wives. 

Ambassador Puyat-Reyes also recognized the attendance of the Filipino community, especially those from different parts of Chile who came to Santiago for the event.  She cited attendees from as far north as Iquique and far south as Puerto Montt in the Antarctica region.  Also present were former Philippine Ambassador to Chile Rodolfo A. Arizala, who came with her daughter, and Philippine Honorary Consul to Santiago’s Fifth Region, Ingebor Maurice Gwinner.

The Mass was followed by a buffet lunch featuring Filipino food.  Served, among other traditional delicacies, were pancit bihon and canton, pork and chicken barbecue, chopsuey, dinuguan, puto and dinuguan, steamed fish, guinataan halo-halo and cassava cake.  Filipinos in Chile usually look forward to the Embassy’s celebration because of the chance to enjoy authentic Filipino home cooking and introduce this to their Chilean friends.  The preparation of the food was headed by Embassy’s Administrative Officer, Ms. Thelma Castillo, who was ably assisted by Misses Winnie Simbahan, Paula Rodriguez and Rosita Llancamil.

As the Filipino group feasted at the Embassy’s large patio and backyard lawn, Ambassador Puyat-Reyes hosted a formal luncheon for her diplomatic guests in the Embassy’s receiving room.  To add to the festive atmosphere, Philippine rondalla music played in the background.

After a hearty lunch, people simply lounged in the patio and interacted with each other in an afternoon of fellowship.  Others merely took the opportunity to bask in the sun, contentedly sitting among friends and new acquaintances, catching up with on the latest news.

The activity went on until late afternoon. END