23 June 2015 - The Philippine Consulate General in Manado, together with other high officials, businessmen, the Filipino community and friends commemorated the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence from June 12 to 13.
On June 12, the Consulate General personnel, including officers from the Philippine Liaison Office of the Philippines-Indonesia Border Committee in Manado and the Filipino community in Manado and Bitung Cities, held the traditional flag raising and get-gogether breakfast in the Consulate General grounds. In addition, 75 stakeholders from the public and private sector, including high-ranking officials from the Provincial and Manado City government, representatives from the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Ministry of Social Welfare, Office of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, the Regional Planning Board (BAPPEDA), BIMP-EAGA, Immigration, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Special Economic Zone authority (KAPET), and Bank Indonesia, participated in the event.
The event was marked by the reading of the Independence Day messages of President Benigno S. Aquino III by Philippine Consul General Oscar G. Orcine; Vice President Jejomar C. Binay by Vice Consul Jan Sherwin P. Wenceslao; and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario by Finance Officer Manuel R. Ramos. A simple “Filipino Style” breakfast with pancit and pandesal followed the event. Overseas Voter’s IDs were also distributed to registered members of the Filipino community.
The next day, the Consulate General hosted a Cocktail Reception at Grand Kawanua Convention Center, Novotel Manado. The Guest of Honor was North Sulawesi Governor, Hon. Dr. Sinyo H. Sarundajang. Over 250 guests attended the reception, including high ranking local government officials of North Sulawesi, leading members of the Indonesian business sector, and members of the Filipino Community in Manado and Bitung Cities.
Consul General Orcine delivered remarks highlighting the building upon past successes and the renewal and strengthening of the longstanding cooperative relationship between Southern Mindanao and North Sulawesi, in line with the Independence Day theme, “Triumphs through reforms, within the nation’s reach”. Consul General Orcine highlighted improving sub-regional trends, in particular the increasing volume of trade and commercial activity between Southern Philippines and North Sulawesi, the intensifying integration of the Davao-Gensan-Manado-Bitung corridor in light of launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by December 2015, and the improvement of communications, trade and transportation infrastructure between Southern Mindanao and North Sulawesi, such as with the upcoming launch of the Bitung-Tahuna-General Santos Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) passenger and cargo shipping service, set to commence by the third quarter of 2015
North Sulawesi Governor Dr. Sinyo Harry Sarundajang delivered brief remarks highlighting the close historical and cultural relationship between North Sulawesi and Southern Mindanao, as well as the North Sulawesi government’s commitment to the stability, peace and prosperity of the Southern Mindanao-North Sulawesi sub-region, as fellow members of ASEAN. The Governor also underscored the potential for North Sulawesi to act as the gateway for trade and people-to-people exchange between Eastern Indonesia and the Philippines through the start of interconnectivity projects between air and sea, such as through the Bitung-Tahuna-General Santos RORO.
Following the speech of the Governor of North Sulawesi, the Consul General and Governor held a toast to the enduring friendship of the Philippine and Indonesian people, which was followed by a ceremonial cutting of the cake. Various cultural presentations marked the festivities. Filipino teachers from Manado Independent School (MIS) held several song and dance numbers, including a duet of the classic Filipino song “Dahil sa Iyo” and acoustic renditions of “Pinoy Ako” and “Patuloy ang Pangarap”, which was followed by a dance number of the song “Piliin Mo ang Pilipinas” by Filipino teachers and students of MIS. Moreover, to highlight the shared culture and heritage between the Southern Philippines and North Sulawesi, a performance group from the Christian University of Indonesia based in Tomohon (UKIT) and Universitas Negeri Manado (UNIMA), played a selection of kulintang songs and a rendition of “Dahil sa Iyo” in Bahasa Indonesia. In addition, various videos highlighting Philippine tourism, economic development, and tourist attractions in various provinces in the Philippines were shown prior to and during the cocktail reception for the benefit and information of guests. END