17 June 2015 - The Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community in Lebanon jointly celebrated the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence during the 2015 Philippine Independence Day Festival held at the St. Joseph Church Tabaris on June 07.
The event started with the traditional flag ceremony followed by the concelebrated holy mass, traditional Filipino food tasting, and a cultural show. The Embassy also conducted a mobile registration of qualified Filipinos in Lebanon to enable them to vote during the May 2016 presidential elections.
The flag ceremony commenced with the singing of the Philippine national anthem led by Consular Clerk Melissa Mancenido, followed by the Panunumpa sa Watawat led by Assistance-to-Nationals/Legal Officer Junaid Ali. Philippine Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz read the Independence Day message of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, while Consul Rona Beth Goce, Consular Assistant Geranfel Abrillo, Labor Attaché Bulyok Nilong, and Welfare Officer Imelda Gatinao read the respective messages of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Rebecca Calzado.
More than a thousand people attended the festival including hundreds of Filipino workers as well as representatives from Lebanese non-government organizations, educational institutions, and the St. Joseph Church parishioners. The St. Joseph Church was jam-packed during the holy mass, which was dedicated to the Independence Day celebration. With the help of Filipino community organizations, the Embassy served the ever-popular pancit bihon, beef caldereta, chicken adobo, chicken lollipops, special puto, biko, bibingka and sago’t gulaman.
The cultural festival featured Original Pilipino Music (OPM) compositions performed by Mr. Briane Famini and a medley of folk songs from various regions by the choir of the Couples for Christ Lebanon chapter. Several Filipino community organizations lent their talented members to perform traditional ethnic and folk dances: T’boli (RP Eagles-St. Therese), Kini-Kini (OFW Kapit-Bisig Foundation, Samahang Manggagawang Babae sa Lebanon and WEVAL), Pandanggo Rinconada (Filipino Community Association), Binislakan (Filipino Cultural Guild), Paro-Parong Bukid (Baclaran-Ballouneh Group) and Habanera de Jovencita (Samahang Manggagawa sa Lebanon).
The last event during the Festival were the raffle draws, with ten lucky winners receiving cash prizes from festival sponsor OMT-Western Union and another Filipino winner receiving a free Qatar Airways-sponsored return ticket to the Philippines. END