20 June 2014 – The Philippine Consulate General in Osaka held its National Day reception on June 12 at the Sorakuen Hall in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture for Japanese local officials, the Kansai Consular Corps, friends and partners of the Consulate General, Filipino community leaders, and supporters and donors who gave their assistance to the Philippines and to those affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
The event was attended by Hyogo Governor Toshizo Ido and Kobe City Mayor Kizo Hisamoto. Also present was Mr. Akira Miwa, Ambassador for the Kansai Region, who gave a toast in honor of the Philippines and the Consulate General. Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez also honored the event with his presence.
Consul General Maria Teresa L. Taguiang opened the national day reception. In her message, the Consul General paid tribute to the great Filipinos who sacrificed their lives for the Filipinos’ freedom now being enjoyed by this generation alongside the economic achievements under President Benigno S. Aquino III’s leadership. The reception also honored Japanese individuals and groups who supported and donated to the Philippines after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated Leyte and other affected provinces in the Visayas. The occasion provided an opportunity to present Department of Tourism’s video presentation, ”The Philippines Says “Thank You” to the World.”
In his speech, Ambassador Lopez hailed the modern Filipino heroes, the overseas Filipinos in Japan, for their resilience and recognizable sense of solidarity with their peers and foreign neighbors in the midst of the sacrifice they have to bear being away from their family and loved ones. The Ambassador stressed the responsibility of every Filipino, which is to become an individual worthy of the pride of the country.
Hyogo Prefecture Governor Ido conveyed his condolences to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and extended his wish of earliest possible recovery. Hyogo Prefecture and its citizens have collected more than JPY15 million yen to fund recovery projects in the Philippines. The Governor referred to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake which will mark its 20th anniversary in January next year, and reiterated his appreciation for the support received from the Philippines following the earthquake. He expressed his wish that Hyogo’s experiences and lessons from that tragedy will be put into practice in the Philippines. The Governor also appreciated the Filipinos residing in Hyogo for their contribution in making Hyogo Prefecture a multicultural society. He conveyed his wish for a stronger bilateral exchange between Hyogo Prefecture and the Philippines in economic and cultural fields.
Kobe City Mayor Hisamoto conveyed his appreciation to the Consulate General for holding its national day reception in Kobe, which was last held in Kobe in 2007. He cited the support provided by Kobe and its citizens to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The Mayor also stressed the significance of the Filipino community in Kobe City, which is the 5th largest foreign community in Kobe. He recognized the Philippines as an important partner of Japan and conveyed his wish for a deeper exchange in the local level that will bring mutual advantages to both the Philippines and Kobe. He cited the business mission of small and medium-sized enterprises in Kobe to the Philippines in July as one of these exchanges.
One of the highlights of the Consulate General’s reception is the presentation of Filipino cuisine prepared by Pinoy Master Chef Romulo “JR” Lamaton Royol, Jr., and his associates, Ms. Milagros Ann S. Alimagno and Mr. David Alexander M. Chua. The chefs were flown from the Philippines courtesy of Cebu Pacific Air. Guests were introduced to genuine Filipino food: kinilaw tangigue, mung bean soup with bagnet, chicken-pork adobo, and halo-halo with leche flan, ube halaya and carabao’s milk.
On June 15, the Consulate General also held a salu-salo for the Filipino community at the Consulate premises. To take advantage of the presence of Chef JR Royol, the Consulate General invited him to share his experiences of establishing a Filipino food business in the Philippines. END