PH Embassy in The Hague Commemoration of Philippine Independence Highlights PH Culture
Ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Victor B. Ledda warmly welcomed an estimated 200 guests during the celebration of the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. (The Hague PE photo)
THE HAGUE 08 July 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in The Hague hosted a diplomatic reception to commemorate the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence and highlighted Philippine culture and Philippine-Netherlands relations at Crowne Plaza Den Haag Promenade in The Hague on 20 June 2019.
Ambassador to Netherlands Jaime Victor B. Ledda warmly welcomed an estimated 200 guests from the diplomatic corps, Dutch ministries, international and intergovernmental organizations, local authorities, multinational corporations, business and financial entities, educational, social and cultural institutions, and Filipino communities.
In his remarks, Ambassador Ledda conveyed that the celebration is an auspicious time to highlight the very good bilateral relations between the governments of the Philippines and The Netherlands and its peoples, which is now on its 68th year since diplomatic relations were established in 1951.
Coinciding with the celebration is the commemoration of the 158th birth anniversary of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Ambassador Ledda presented the updated version of the Dutch translation of one of Rizal’s literary novels, “Noli Me Tangere” by Gerard Arp of Arpenco Publishers.
The launching of the book, almost a century after the novel was first translated in Dutch in 1926, certainly enhanced the cultural dimension of Philippine - Dutch relations.
Another highlight of the event was the formal opening of “Philippine Flavors”, a three-day food festival held from 21 to 23 June 2019 also in Crowne Plaza with visiting Dusseldorf-based Filipino restauranteur and chef Maria “Maite” Hontiveros-Diitke, and Amsterdam-based chef Cayetano “Tani” Morabe, assisted by the hotel’s resident chef Sido de Brabander.
Ambassador Ledda took the opportunity congratulated Dutch national and Philippine Netherlands Business Council (PNBC) member Simon Groot for being the 2019 Laureate of the World Food Prize. Mr. Groot started his East West Seed Company in the Philippines and has helped empower smallholders in the Philippines and other developing countries.
The Ambassador also expressed the Embassy’s appreciation for the decades of dedicated and invaluable services of its two local hires, Eliseo Rivera and Socorro Elevera-Vink. He also thanked the Embassy officers and staff for their support and cooperation that made the event possible; the Honorary Consular Officers in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Aruba for their continuing efforts to promote the Philippines; and the Filipino communities in the Netherlands for helping promote people-to-people relations with the Dutch.
Ambassador Ledda gave special mention to the Filipino community in Sint Maarten for their contribution to the reconstruction and rebuilding of Sint Maarten from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
The Ambassador concluded his speech by thanking the government of The Netherlands together with the members of the European Union for helping rebuild Marawi City and encouraging trade, investment and economic opportunities in Mindanao. END
(Left to right) Honorary Consul General in Amsterdam Eppo Horlings, Knights of Rizal -The Hague Chapter; Commander Anton Lutter and Netherlands Business Council Chairman John Lintjer, The Mistress of the Robes Bibi Countess van Zuylen van Nijevelt-den Beer Poortugael, Ambassador Ledda and his spouse Madame Gina M. Ledda. (The Hague PE photo)
Ambassador Ledda expresses his appreciation to Chef Maria “Maite” Hontiveros (in colored headband), Chef Cayetano “Tani” Morabe (in white headband) and Chef Sido de Brabander (in white chef’s uniform) for their efforts towards making possible the promotion of Filipino flavors in “The City of Justice and Peace” on the occasion of the 121st anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. (The Hague PE photo)
Embassy officers and staff with their dependents pose for a souvenir family photo with Brussels- and Frankfurt- based Philippine trade, tourism and agriculture officials (Jasper Revilla and Marifi Guibone photo)
For more information, visit https://www.thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTheNetherlands/.