18 June 2015 – The Philippine Center New York was the place to be on June 12 when the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) led celebrations to commemorate the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
At the start of the day, officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General, Philippine Mission to the United Nations, Philippine Center Management Board, Philippine Trade and Investment Center, and Philippine Department of Tourism NY, held a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Philippine Center along Fifth Avenue. Messages of congratulations and pride from President Benigno S. Aquino III and Secretary Albert F. del Rosario were read by Ambassador Lorie Yparraguirre and Consul General Mario L. De Leon respectively.
In the evening, Consul General Mario L. De Leon and Madame Eleanor De Leon hosted a reception for the diplomatic and consular corps, Filipino community, family and friends at the Kalayaan Hall.
Consul General De Leon welcomed the attendees and highlighted the theme, “Kalayaan 2015: Tagumpay sa Pagbabagong Nasimulan, Abot Kamay na ng Bayan” (Independence 2015: Triumphs on Reforms, Within the Nation’s Reach) in his remarks. The Consul General stated indicators on the progress in the Philippines’ economic performance which can be attributed to the good governance efforts of the administration. He urged the Filipino diaspora to help this development further by doing their part in nation-building through dialogue, advocacies and
civic engagement. He congratulated the community of the US Northeast for the strides that were made to attain the level of an emerging presence in the tri-state area and the mainstream US society. “We are having the benefit of a sort of ‘coming of age’ of the Filipino community,” he stated, citing the Filipino-Americans occupying elected and appointed positions in the US government.
Entertainment was provided by the youth members of the Filipino-American Association of Pittsburgh Dance Troupe, who travelled to New York to perform their 20-minute suite comprised of Maria Clara dance, vocal solos and Muslim dances.
All night, the guests were treated to a Filipino fiesta complete with favorite dishes prepared by some of the top caterers in New York and New Jersey. END
