PH Flag Raised as Canada’s Capital City Declares Filipino Heritage Week
Clockwise from top: The ladies of the Filipino Community in Ottawa stand with Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia as the Philippine flag flies over Ottawa City Hall; The audience sings the Philippine and Canadian National Anthems; Ambassador Garcia and Mayor Jim Watson prepare to hoist the flag; Members of the Filipino Community pose for a group photo. (Alvin Conchas III and Benjamin David photos)
OTTAWA 17 July 2018 – The Filipino Community in Ottawa gathered at City Hall for a flag-raising ceremony, in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence.
In attendance were Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, representatives from the Philippine Independence Committee of the Ottawa Valley, and other members of the local community.
The ceremony opened with the Philippine National Anthem sung by the HIMIG Chorale, while Ambassador Garcia and Mayor Watson hoisted the Philippine flag in front of City Hall. The choir also sang the Canadian National Anthem.
Ambassador Garcia thanked Mayor Watson and other city officials for declaring 09 to 16 June 2018 as Filipino Heritage Week.
“It is with a distinct feeling of pride that we see the Philippine flag flying over City Hall, but we are even more proud of the Filipino – Canadian Community here that has contributed so much to the city of Ottawa and kept their Filipino cultural heritage alive and strong, further enriching the multicultural fabric of Canada,” Ambassador Garcia stated.
The flag-raising ceremony is one of many activities organized by the Filipino Community in Ottawa, in partnership with the Embassy, for the month of June in celebration of Philippine independence. END
For more information, visit www.ottawape.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassy.ca or https://www.facebook.com/PHinCanada/.