18 June 2015 – The Philippine Embassy in Ankara and Filipino communities in Turkey celebrated on June 12 the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence with the customary Flag Raising and traditional salu-salo.
Delegations from Istanbul, mainly the Filipino Community in Istanbul (FCI) led by its President Carmen Martin and the Filipino Community in Turkey (FCT) led by its President Elma Trinidad, arrived early morning on that day from an overnight seven-hour journeyby bus from Istanbul just to be part of the occasion.
A significant presence were several Filipino university students in Turkey, namely Misses Arianne Eustacio, Nina Ubaldo (Middle East Technical University), and Adrielle Espinosa (University of Turkish Aeronautical Association) all from Ankara, Messrs. Mak Bogabong and Royce Pacibe (Gaziantep University) from Gaziantep, Eastern Turkey, who not only lent their energetic presence in the morning festivities, but also shared their dancing skills later in the evening during the official diplomatic reception.
The program started with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem, accompanied by a steel xylophone played by Ms. Juanita Cruz. This was immediately followed by the reading of the respective Independence Day messages of Philippine Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, read by Attaché and Consular Assistant Mrs. Anita Dela Cruz; Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, read by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ericka Anna Abad, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, read by Minister and Consul General Robert Ferrer, Jr. and His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III, read by Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez.
The event concluded with the singing of the classic “Pilipinas Kong Mahal,” followed by a salu-salo of Filipino breakfast delights such as piniritong bangus, danggit, arrozcaldo with tokwa't baboy, piniritong itlog, beef tapa, among other dishes, and served with white rice.
As a sideline for the event, the Embassy provided consular services and received overseas voters registrations. END