24 June 2014- The Philippine Embassy in Rome celebrated the 116th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence with a day-long program.
The celebration started early in the morning of June 12 with a flag-raising ceremony at the Embassy grounds. It was attended by Embassy personnel, led by Philippine Ambassador to Italy Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr.
In the evening, Ambassador and Mrs. Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. hosted a diplomatic reception at the MAXXI21 (Museo delle Arti del XXI secolo or National Museum of Art of the 21st Century) Restaurant, which was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Government offices, as well as partner institutions, and friends of the Embassy.
In his Independence Day message, Ambassador Reyes said that “the dream of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal for a Philippines with its head held up high, as expressed in his poem ‘My Last Farewell’ written on the eve of his execution was finally realized” in the proclamation of Philippine Independence on 12 June 1898.
The Ambassador further said that the Philippines looks forward to furthering close ties with the Italian Republic and with multilateral organizations in Italy. It reiterates its gratitude, already previously communicated, to the immediate response of Italy to the catastrophe of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in November 2013.
Ambassador Reyes and Ambassador Andrea Perugini, Deputy Director General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Countries of Asia and Oceania, joined in offering a toast to Philippine Independence and the abiding friendship between the Philippines and Italy.
Rome-based Filipino cultural groups, the “Pinoy Teens” and “District Crew,” performed Filipino dance and song numbers to the guests’ delight.
“Pinoy Teens,” a group of young Filipino students sharing a common passion for traditional Filipino music and dances, danced the tinikling and binislakan and sang Ang Bayan Ko.
“District Crew,” an umbrella group of different Filipino dance groups, performed a fusion of indigenous and modern dances. A dance number composed of the seamless integration of the native Ifugao dance (Northern Luzon), the modern Hip-Hop, and culminating with the internationally-renowned tinikling. The dance piece was created by District Crew to honor and pay homage to traditional Filipino dances and to propagate it even in modernity.
The reception also featured an exhibit of the works of Filipino artists in Italy and even included the work of an Italian photographer who seeks to elevate the Filipino identity by highlighting the unique contribution of Philippine culture and arts in Italy.
The works of Richard Gabriel, Efren Dordas, Paul Alex Samaniego, and Stefano Romano were exhibited to the guests of the diplomatic reception to recognize their valuable and continuing artistic contribution.
The Embassy’s commemorative newsletter “Roman Forum: Kalayaan Edition” was also launched during the event and distributed to guests after the reception.
An open bar featuring Distileria Limtuaco’s Paradise Mango Rum and other liquer was one of the highlights of the reception. Distileria Limtuaco sent some of its products all the way from Manila to be sampled by the guests of the diplomatic reception. END