JERUSALEM 20 June 2024 – Filipinos in Jerusalem came together last June 16 and joined the Philippine Embassy in celebrating the 126th Philippine Independence Day in Jerusalem and paying tribute to Filipino “heroes”’ remarkable feats in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Around 350 Filipino community leaders and members, priests, nuns and other religious leaders, agricultural trainees, Israeli guests, and private sector partners attended the event at the Salesian Ratisbonne Monastery.
Honored during this occasion was Camille Jesalva, the quick-thinking Filipino caregiver who saved her 95-year old ward during the 07 October terror attacks. She convinced the militants who looted their home not to hurt them by offering her $370 savings and mobile phone. Camille and her ward were thus left unharmed and later rescued by the IDF.
Camille’s courageous act went viral and received widespread media coverage. Her story was also included in the book “08 October: 40 Heroes, 40 Stories”, which will be launched soon.
Another honoree was Sister Elizabeth Ann, the Filipino nun who stayed in Gaza, despite the danger, sickness and deprivation, and long after all other Filipinos had been evacuated, to continue to take care of orphans, disabled persons, and war evacuees. The last Filipino to exit the enclave, she is now staying at her order’s mission house in Jerusalem.
While many sorrowful stories emerged from the ongoing war, Ambassador Pedro R. Laylo, Jr. noted that there are also tales that inspire and give hope. In his message, he called on Filipinos to draw inspiration from Camille and Sister Elizabeth. “Their stories display the Filipino’s courage, resilience, and compassion amid challenges and difficulties,” Ambassador Laylo said.
Ambassador Laylo also lauded other Filipinos who rose and helped the community during the war. These included the Passionist Fathers who opened their monastery to the displaced and distressed, those who helped the Embassy in locating missing Filipinos, brought relief goods to those living in the danger zone, offered their homes as shelters or drove their own vehicles to evacuate our kababayan.
The program’s cultural showcase featured a reenactment of a barrio bayanihan - moving a bahay kubo (nipa hut) on men’s shoulders from one place to another, a harana (serenade), and an Ifugao community dance. The lunch salu-salo (banquet) that followed served typical Pinoy dishes such as kare-kareng baka, inasal na manok, pakbet Tagalog, mangga’t bagoong, binignit, assorted kakanin, and even the traditional Igorot rice wine tapuy.
This event capped the Embassy’s modest celebration of Philippine Independence Day, scaled down in keeping with the wartime sentiments of Israeli society. The modest but meaningful events were also l regionalized - held in Nazareth, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem - to literally bring the celebration closer to Filipino communities across Israel. This also allowed the Embassy to interact with and personally thank Filipinos in various locations. END
For more information, visit https://www.telavivpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.il, https://www.facebook.com/PHinIsrael/, or https://twitter.com/PHinIsrael.