PH Consulate General in Hong Kong Celebrates 2024 Philippine Independence with Back-to-Back Events
HONG KONG 08 July 2024 — The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong staged its back-to-back celebration of the 126th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 12 June 2024, with Pinoy Almusal in the morning and a National Day Reception in the evening.
The Philippine Consulate hosted the Pinoy Almusal to celebrate Independence Day with the Filipino community in Hong Kong. More than 100 guests attended the morning event. The program started with the singing of the Philippine national anthem and recitation of the “Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas”, followed by the video presentation/reading of the messages from the country’s leaders (i.e. President, Vice President, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of Trade and Industry, Secretary of Migrant Workers, Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, SSS President and CEO, and Pag-IBIG Fund President and CEO).
Filipino breakfast was served during the event and Consulate personnel performed for the Filipino community during the morning program. The Consulate’s repertoire included songs, such as “Ako’y Isang Pinoy”, “Bayan Ko”, “Ako ay Pilipino”, and other popular OPM songs.
Consul General Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan in her Opening Remarks, recalled the great sacrifices of our forebears in order to achieve our nation’s independence. She also cited the special significance of Hong Kong in our country’s revolutionary struggle.
It was in Hong Kong at No. 5, D’ Aguilar St. in Central, where Dr. Jose Rizal established his clinic and practiced medicine as an ophthalmic surgeon. He also established his residence while in Hong Kong at Rednaxela Terrace in Mid-Levels. The first Philippine flag was sewn at Morrison Hill in Wan Chai and the Constitution of the “La Liga Filipina,” the secret society founded by Dr. Rizal, was printed in Hong Kong.
In the evening, the Philippine Consulate hosted the National Day Reception with more than 350 guests in attendance. Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-Po served as the Guest of Honor, with Hong Kong Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano and Director General Wei Wenxiu of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong, as special guests.
The presence of two HK Cabinet Secretaries during the Reception was a distinct honor for the Consulate. It manifested the importance accorded by the Hong Kong Government to the Philippines and its people. Around 250 officials from the HK Government, the Consular Corps, business community and Filipino community attended.
The Consul General in her speech did not only emphasize the historical significance of Hong Kong to the revolutionary struggle of the Philippines, but the strong economic and people-to-people relations as well, and the significant contributions of the Filipino domestic workers to Hong Kong’s economy.
Hong Kong was Philippines’ 6th largest trading partner in 2023 with a total merchandise trade of USD10.85 billion. In January 2024, Filipino tourist arrivals in Hong Kong exceeded pre-pandemic level by 114%. There was a 3,529% increase in Filipino tourist arrivals in the territory, from 21,046 in 2022 to 763,778 in 2023. Similarly, Hong Kong tourists to the Philippines increased by 837%, from 8,589 in 2022 to 80,512 in 2023. Furthermore, there are 220,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, with 200,000 domestic workers, proudly contributing to the progress of Hong Kong.
Senator Cayetano, described the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong in particular, and the Philippines and China in general, as reliable, relevant and resilient. The Senator explained that it is “resilient because despite the issues and problems we always find a way to become brothers and sisters again; it is relevant because whatever the problems are, economic(s), transportation and the pandemic, we find a way to be relevant to each other; and it is reliable because when you need us, we will be there for you, and when we need you, you are always there for us”.
Financial Secretary Chan’s speech focused on the solid economic relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong. He congratulated the Consul General on her assumption as Head of the Consulate, after five (5) years as Deputy Consul General, and how her “wealth of knowledge and wide-ranging experience to the job” enables appreciation of the “solid economic ties between Hong Kong and the Philippines, and (our) longstanding people-to-people bond”.
Secretary Chan also acknowledged the great number of Filipino tourists visiting the City, and described the 220,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong as “important members of (the Hong Kong) community,” with many of them “regarded by Hong Kong people as members of their families”. He emphasized the “invaluable contributions (of Filipino workers) to the well being of (HK) our families and the economic vitality of this great City”.
The Reception showcased world-class Filipino performers in Hong Kong such as Ms. Crisel Consunji (stage/movie performer in Hong Kong and winner of the Best New Performer Award at the 38th Hong Kong Film Festival in 2019), Mr. Andrei Reyes (music teacher at Funful English Primary School, HK and was a vocalist in Mickey and the Wondrous Book at HK Disneyland), Ms. Joanna Barriga (singer/actress born and raised in HK, a graduate of the HK Academy for Performing Arts and former HK Disneyland performer), and Maestro Nobel Gabasan (performer, choral conductor, composer, musical director and music specialist/teacher of the International College of Hong Kong - Hong Lok Yuen).
The Reception also featured the “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign, Filipino cuisine, souvenir bags full of Philippine products, and a raffle draw of four (4) roundtrip plane tickets, from Hong Kong to the Philippines, courtesy of Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Philippine companies San Miguel Brewery, Mama Sita's, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Century Pacific Foods Inc., URC Jack n’ Jill, Jollibee, Potato Corner, Philippine National Bank, BDO Remit, BPI and AyalaLand, served as event partners. END
