PHL Embassy in Brunei Hosts Diplomatic Reception and Cultural Presentation in Celebration of the 119th Phl Independence Day
Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Meynardo LB. Montealegre (2nd from right), and his sister, Ms. Elsa Montealegre (rightmost), along with Guest of Honor, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs of Brunei Darussalam (2nd from left), and his spouse Datin Paduka Hajah Jahrah binti Haji Mohamad (leftmost), take center stage during the singing of the PHL national anthem.
31 May 2017 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam hosted a diplomatic reception in commemoration of the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Philippine Independence on May 23 at the Indera Samudra Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Jerudong. The occasion was attended by close to 250 guests coming from the government of Brunei Darussalam, the diplomatic corps, the local business sector, and members of the Filipino Community.
The event was graced by Guest of Honor, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr.) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs of Brunei Darussalam (Pehin Abu Bakar), accompanied by his spouse Datin Paduka Hajah Jahrah binti Haji Mohamad.
Ambassador to Brunei Meynardo LB. Montealegre lauded the excellent bilateral ties between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam, highlighted by the State Visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to Brunei on October 2016, and the recent State Visit of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, to the Philippines, back-to-back with the Sultan’s attendance in the 30th ASEAN Summit last April in Manila.
The Sining Kumintang ng Batangas performing the Singkil during the PHL Embassy in Brunei’s diplomatic reception for the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of PHL Independence.
The Ambassador also noted the signing of agreements during His Majesty The Sultan’s State Visit to the Philippines last April, namely the PH-Brunei Memorandum of Understanding on Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion, and the PH-Brunei Agreement on Cultural Cooperation.
Likewise, he underscored the very close cultural and historical affinity between the PHL and Brunei dating back to the 9th century, and conveyed the PHL’s appreciation to the Sultan and to the people of Brunei Darussalam for the hospitality accorded to the more than 20,000 Filipinos in Brunei.
Ambassador Montealegre also extended the PHL Embassy’s appreciation for the assistance by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in bringing to Brunei the Sining Kumintang ng Batangas, the official Cultural Performing Group of the Province of Batangas, and for lending some of NCCA’s T’nalak materials ― traditional woven fabrics made by the T’bolis of Southern Cotabato, which formed part of the display during the event.
Following the Ambassador’s remarks, the Guest of Honor, Pehin Abu Bakar, Pehin’s spouse, Datin Paduka Hajah Jahrah, the Ambassador’s sister, Ms. Elsa Montealegre, and Heads of ASEAN Missions in Bandar Seri Begawan took part in the cake-cutting ceremony, in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity. Special tokens of appreciation were also presented by Ambassador Montealegre and Ms. Elsa Montealegre to the Guest of Honor and his spouse.
Another highlight of the evening was the presentation by the premiere cultural dance troupe, Sining Kumintang ng Batangas, whose repertoire included Philippine traditional dances mostly from the Visayas and Mindanao, such as the Mangalay Tambours, a popular festival dance in Sulu; the Paunjalay which is a Yakan pre-nuptial dance; the Singkíl, a folk dance of the Maranao people of Lake Lanao; and the Pagaper which is a Muslim Filipino folk dance performed before a special occasion, among others.
Served during the dinner were Filipino cuisines, such as chicken adobo, and beef caldereta, and Filipino desserts, such as maja blanca, sapin-sapin, and ice cream. Video presentations on Philippine tourist attractions and instrumental music by Dr. Raul Sunico, an internationally-acclaimed Filipino piano virtuoso, were played during the dinner.
Special bookmarks with photos of the Sining Kumintang and brief on T’nalak, and small woven bags (bayong) containing chocolate mango sweets and Philippine tourism materials were presented to guests as giveaways.
For more information, visit www.bruneipe.dfa.gov.ph/ www.philippine-embassybrunei.org. END
The Sining Kumintang ng Batangas performing the Mangalay Tambours during the event.
The exhibit of T’nalak materials and photos of high-level exchanges of visits between the PHL and Brunei at the entrance of the Indera Samudra Hall brought an exquisite ambiance to the PHL Embassy’s diplomatic reception.