PHL Embassy in Damascus Concludes Three-Part Celebration to Commemorate 119th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence
Charge d’ Affaires Crescente Relacion and the officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus together with some officers of the Filipino community organizations in Syria attended the flag-raising ceremony at the rooftop of the Chancery as part of the celebration of the 119th Anniversary of the Declaration of the Philippine Independence
15 June 2017 DAMASCUS — The Philippine Embassy in Damascus headed by Charge d’ Affaires Crescente R. Relacion concluded its three-part celebration of the 119th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence with a reception hosted for the Filipino community in Syria at the Dama Rose Hotel, Damascus City, on June 11.
The first part of the celebration was a Filipino bowling tournament held on May 28 and June 04 at the Uptown Palace Bowling Center in Damascus. The second part was a flag-raising ceremony and breakfast with the community held at the Embassy grounds on June 11, before the evening reception.
The embassy hosted a reception for 120 guests from the members of the Filipino community, spouses, and dependents and a few foreign nationals at the Dama Rose Hotel in the capital Damascus.
Charge d’ Affaires Relacion encouraged the remaining Filipinos in Syria to maintain their unity and friendship and, as expatriate workers, to be gracious guests in the host country. He also took the opportunity to remind them to avail of the Mandatory Repatriation Program (MRP) of the Philippine Government, which has been ongoing since the start of the conflict in 2011.
The Independence Day messages of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano were also read during both the breakfast and reception ceremonies.
The highlight of the reception was the search for “Bb. Kalayaan Syria 2017,” which provided an opportunity for eligible members of the community to don their Filipiniana attire and showcase their talents of cultural dances and patriotic songs.
For more information, visit www.damascuspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/DamascusPE/. END
Left photo: Charge d’ Affaires Crescente Relacion enjoy some light moments during the conduct of the Bowling Tournament organized by the Embassy in relation to Kalayaan 2017 activities. Right photo: Charge d’Affaires Relacion, Honorary Consul Wassim Nanaa of the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Aleppo, and Consul Norman Padalhin posed with the winners of the Binibing Kalayaan 2017 and other guests during the reception held at Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus.