PH Embassy in Syria Celebrates 121st PH Independence Day
Chargé d’ Affaires e.p. and Consul General Alex V. Lamadrid (left inset) delivers a speech during the thanksgiving mass to commemorate the Philippine Independence Day at the St. Anthony Parish Church. (Damascus PE photo)
DAMASCUS 20 June 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in Damascus, led by Chargé d’ Affaires (CDA), e.p., and Consul General Alex V. Lamadrid, joined over 70 members of the Filipino community in a Holy Mass to celebrate the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence at St. Anthony Parish church in Damascus on 09 June 2019.
Father Fadi Azar of St. Anthony Parish expressed his gratitude to the Embassy for its support to the Filipino community and untiring efforts to assist distressed Filipino nationals in Syria.
In his remarks, CDA Lamadrid reflected on the importance of unity and acknowledged the important role of the Samahan ng mga Filipino sa Syria (SAMAFIL) as the umbrella organization of the Filipino community in Syria. He further urged Filipinos in Damascus to work with the Embassy in building a stronger community, and in becoming citizen ambassadors through exemplary conduct.
On the same day, Filipino community members attended the second leg of the Wais sa Krisis Financial Literacy Seminar-Workshop conducted by the Embassy at the church’s Parish Hall.
In his opening remarks, CDA Lamadrid encouraged the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to prepare for their eventual return to the Philippines by saving and investing their hard-earned incomes in business and different investment platforms.
He expressed that the Philippine Embassy hopes to continue running financial literacy workshops to capacitate OFWs and inform them of the crucial importance of setting up an emergency fund, budgeting, savings and investment opportunities.
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Al-Bari B. Macalawan provided a lecture on financial literacy and discussed modes of investment that OFWs may avail of or venture into upon their return to the Philippines. He encouraged them to invest in government savings fund, such as those offered by Pag-Ibig, and other investment vehicles such as stocks and investment funds offered by the private sector.
The financial literacy seminer-workshop was held under the auspices of the Embassy’s gender and development (GAD) program. END
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Al-Bari B. Macalawan delivers a lecture on financial literacy as part of the Embassy’s second leg of the Wais sa Krisis financial literacy workshop for overseas Filipinos. (Damascus PE photo)
For more information, visit www.damascuspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSyria/.