GOVPH

18 July 2014 - Filipinos in New South Wales (NSW) commemorated the 116th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence with a total of 15 activities throughout the month of June,  kicking off on June 1 in Bathurst and ending on June 30 in Gosford. The activities included Independence Day Balls, a golf tournament, flag-raising ceremonies and cultural programs organised by Filipino community groups in cooperation with local city councils.

The Filipinos in NSW, numbering almost 94,000, have consistently celebrated Philippine Independence Day each year and actively promoted Filipino culture and heritage. The number of local city councils in NSW that support Philippine Independence Day activities attest to how the Filipinos’ contributions are valued in the communities where they have settled.

On June 1, a flag-raising ceremony and a cultural program in Bathurst, 203 kilometers west of Sydney, attended by Consul Marford Angeles and Consulate staff members Linda Albay, Ma. Regina Queen Perol, Heraclia Calisin, and Jessie Llaneta. The event was co-organized by the Bathurst Regional Council headed by Mayor Gary Rush, the Bathurst Lions Club, and the Filipiniana Friends Bathurst and Central West headed by Ms. Nenita Weekes. NSW Minister for Local Government Paul Toole graced the ceremony. The Consulate General team also conducted overseas voters registration during their visit to Bathurst.

On June 7, the Philippine National Day Ball organised by the NSW Filipino community umbrella organization, Philippine Community Council of NSW, was held at Rosehill Gardens in Rosehill NSW, attended by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, NSW Premier Mike Baird and his wife Kerryn, Federal Member of Parliament for Greenway Michelle Rowland, NSW Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello, Member for Riverstone Kevin Connolly, Member for Hornsby Matt Kean, Members of the Legislative Council (MLC) Matt Clarke and Greg Donnelly, Blacktown City Councillors Jess Diaz, Edmond Atalla, Stephen Bali and Jacqueline Donaldson, and Penrith City Councillor Prue Car.

On June 8, Consulate staff members Linda Albay and Russell Villegas joined the Filipino Independence Association led by Ms. Marina O’Donnell in a flag-raising ceremony and cultural program in Wagga Wagga, 456 kilometres away from Sydney. The event was attended by Wagga Wagga City Mayor Rod Kendall, members of the Filipino-Australian community and around 50 Filipino workers. Earlier that day, the Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations (APCO) held its Freedom Ball at the Conca D’Oro Ballroom in Riverwood, NSW, attended by Federal Member for Fowler Chris Hayes, Federal Member for Werriwa Laurie Ferguson, Federal Member for Banks David Coleman, State Member for Campbelltown Bryan Doyle, State Member for Riverstone Kevin Connolly, President of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board Stephan Kerkyasharian, NSW Community Relations Commission (CRC) Chair Vic Alhadeff, NSW Ethnic Communities Council (ECC) Chair Peter Doukas and NSW ECC Secretary Marta Aquino.

Also on June 8, Consul General Louis met the Filipino community in Tamworth, a city 389 kilometres from Sydney, during their Philippine Independence Day celebration. Spearheading the arrangements was Fr. Vic Ignacio, MS. The Consul General and the Filipino community members discussed their concerns and resolved queries on consular services and other matters. This meeting was followed by a mass at the St. Patrick’s Parish Church in Tamworth with Bishop Michael Kennedy as main celebrant. Concelebrating the mass were Fr. Ignacio, Fr. Abner Dumayog, MS, Fr. James Pouvathinkal, MS,  Fr. Jose Llave, and Fr. Ross O’Brien. Fr. Llave and Ms. Amalin Sundaravez acted as emcees during the cultural program that followed the mass. The program featured presentations from the members of the Filipino community in Tamworth as well as the neighbouring areas of Armidale, Narrabri, Moree, Wee Waa and Barraba. Many Australian guests, including the management of Teys meat company which employs Filipino workers, were present and enjoyed the Filipino food and cultural program.

On June 9, the FilOz Social Golf Club held the 19th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Kalayaan Cup in which Fr. Serving Bustamante, who serves as the parish priest of Leichhardt in Sydney’s inner west, emerged as the tournament’s champion. Vietnamese Consul General Mai Phuoc Dung took part in the tournament as well as golfers from other countries.

In the morning of June 14, a flag ceremony and program were organised by the Australian-Philippine Services League (APSL) at the Bowman Hall in Blacktown City. The event was attended by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Federal Member for Chifley Ed Husic, and Blacktown City Councillors Jacqueline Donaldson, Charlie Lowles, Stephen Bali and Edmund Atalla.

In the evening of the same day, an independence day celebration was co-organised by the Australian Mindanao Multicultural Communities (AusMin) and the Australian Visayan Multicultural Communities (AusVis) at the Blacktown Senior Citizens Hall, in Blacktown City. The Filipino Seventh-Day Adventists based in Seven Hills, NSW, also organised the Philippine Independence Month Convocation at the North Seven Hills Elementary School.

On June 15, Consul General Louis hosted a flag ceremony, program and Filipino breakfast at the Consulate with Filipino community leaders and members of the media attended by around 150 guests.

On the same day, Consul Angeles joined an Independence Day Picnic organised by adoptive parents of Filipino children at a park in Lilyfield, NSW. Around 13 families took part in the picnic.

On June 21, Ambassador Anota and Consul General Louis graced the flag raising ceremony at the Rizal Monument, Rizal Park in Rosemeadow Campbelltown, attended by Campbelltown City Mayor Clinton Mead, Federal Member for Macarthur Russell Matheson, Federal Member for Werriwa Laurie Ferguson, State Member for Campbelltown Bryan Doyle, Campbelltown City Councillor Fred Borg, and Camden Councillor Greg Warren. The ceremony also commemorated the 153rd birth anniversary of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, and included the presentation of the commemorative plaques at the Rizal Monument. The Campbelltown Regional Filipino Community Council (CRFCC) and the Campbelltown City Council co-organised the event in coordination with the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney.

The Australian Philippine Association of Illawarra held its June Ball on June 21 at the Portofino Function Centre in Wollongong, 84 kilometers from Sydney. Consul General Louis was the guest speaker at the event. The association has been in existence for 34 years and this year was the 34th consecutive year that they held their June Ball.

On June 28, Consul General Louis and Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler raised the Philippine flag in a ceremony at the Penrith City Hall co-organised by the Penrith City Council with the Philippine Language and Cultural Association (PLCAA) led by its President, Dr. Alexis Leones. The PLCAA runs a Filipino language school in Penrith. That same morning, Consul Marford Angeles raised the Philippine flag with Parramatta Mayor John Chedid at the Parramatta Town Hall in a ceremony co-organized by the Parramatta City Council with the Banag-Banag Inc. led by its President, Ms. Fe Nuguid.

The month-long celebration was capped by a flag-raising ceremony and program led by Consul General Louis and Gosford Deputy Mayor Bob Ward at the Gosford City Hall in NSW’s Central Coast, 76 kilometres from Sydney. The event was co-organised by the Gosford City Council and the Filipino community in Gosford led by Ms. Marivic King and Ms. Emily Rudd.

During the commemorative events, the Consul General commended the efforts of the members of the various organising committees, for their hard work and commitment to ensure that the anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence is celebrated in a most meaningful way. She also encouraged them to continue this practice to help promote awareness and understanding of Filipino culture and heritage among the second generation of Filipino-Australians, as well as in the wider community in NSW. END