Philippine Consulate General in Houston Celebrates the 124th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence
Left photo: Consul General Jerril Santos delivering his message during the Flag Ceremony held at the multi-purpose hall of the Consulate General which was attended by leaders and members of various Filipino American organizations in Texas; Right photo: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner with Consul Gilbert Segarra, Philippine Kalayaan Houston Chairman Arsenio Zalun and its board members during the proclamation of 12 June 2022, as Philippine Independence Day in the City of Houston ( Photos from Houston PCG)
HOUSTON, 20 June 2022 – In celebration of the 124th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Consulate General in Houston conducted a Flag Ceremony held at the multi-purpose hall of the Consulate General on 12 June 2022 which was attended by leaders and members of various Filipino American organizations in Texas. Both the independence video messages of President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. were played during the ceremony. Consul General Jerril G. Santos also delivered his message to the community.
Vocal performances were rendered by two young and upcoming Filipino singers, Jonah Daquigan and Jamelle Apriliakova Mariano, with a surprise performance by known Filipino OPM singer Mr. Paul (Pol) Enriquez who for several years has called Houston his home.
In the afternoon, a community-wide Independence Day celebration entitled “Kalayaan 2022” was held at the Bayou City Event Center organized by the Philippine Kalayaan Houston (PKH), an organization composed of leaders and volunteers from different Filipino American organizations tasked with organizing the annual community celebration of Philippine Independence in the greater Houston area.
This community celebration was highlighted by the attendance of The Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston. In his remarks, Mayor Turner recognized the contribution of the Filipino American community and said that “they contribute to our city each and everyday… when we’ve gone through disasters, members of the Filipino community have stepped up and assisted, provided donations, volunteers, supported us in every way so this community is very much embedded and a part of the Houston community.”
Mayor Turner also issued a proclamation saying that “…hereby proudly proclaim this day June 12, 2022 as Philippine Independence Day in the City of Houston.” Meanwhile, US Representative Al Green of the 9th Congressional District of Texas issued a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.
For more information, visit https://www.houstonpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHinHouston/. END