Ferreira Do Alentejo Discovers Rich and Vibrant Filipino Culture in Terras Sem Sombra, Artes â Solta Festival 2019
Visitors at the Philippine cultural booths at Municipal Garden of Ferreira do Alentejo participates in the month long celebration of the 121st anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence on 29 June 2019 at the Terras Sem Sombra, Artes â Solta Festival led by the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon. (Lisbon PE photo)
LISBON 26 July 2019 —The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon led the month-long celebration of the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 29 June 2019 at the Terras Sem Sombra, Artes â Solta Festival in Ferreira do Alentejo.
In collaboration with Terras Sem Sombra, Artes â Solta organizers, the Embassy, and Ferreira do Alentejo Municipality, the Philippine Day activity provided an inclusive experience on the richness and vibrance of Filipino culture through food, music, traditional games, and handicrafts. The Embassy also took the opportunity to promote various tourist destinations in the Philippines by giving away anahaw woven fans from Quezon province, dried mangoes from Cebu and 3D-holographic destination luggage tags from Department of Tourism (DOT).
The morning program started in Ferreira do Alentejo Municipal Garden with a Filipino fiesta setting with kiosk of street foods exhibited and operated by Jaymalyn Galiza Day, a Lisbon-based chef who owns a diplomata catering service. Filipina entrepreneurs and co-owners of GustoKO Paula Figueras and Queenie Guzman also showcased a selection of handicraft products.
Ms. Figueroa and Ms. Guzman are recognized as the Embassy “cultural entrepreneurs” for not only creating economic value to Philippine products, but also for pursuing Filipino culture and heritage.
The afternoon event gave the participants an ultimate Filipino eating experience with Filipino favourites such as pork adobo with rice served in coconut rice bowls as well as local snacks from Alentejo like ferreirenses (cake), chouriço, traditional cheese and olives.
Visitors got to play Filipino traditional games such as sungka, dama and pantintero while participated while Filipino children also enjoyed participating in the traditional Alentejo games like paper kite making, rope jumping, walking with stilts and face painting.
Pundaquit Virtuosi, a 28-member youth string ensemble from San Antonio, Zambales ended their 2019 European tour with an evening concert at Ferreira do Alentejo before a crowd of 500 persons.
Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria expressed her appreciation to Ferreira do Alentejo Municipality and to festival organizers for allowing the Embassy to show the best of Filipino culture. Members of the Filipino community in Lisbon also came to partake in the festival.
Pundaquit Virtuosi played a diverse repertoire of classical music masterpieces, popular Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and contemporary standards. The show ended with the string ensemble and Portuguese all male singing group Os Boinas (The Berets) performing the song “Amor Pelo Dois,” the winning Portuguese entry at the 2017 Eurovision singing contest.
The Terras Sem Sombra festival is held annually since 2013, bringing music, heritage and biodiversity together. This year’s festival has brought in the Madrid-based Filipina soprano, Aniway “Manila” Adap who performed a full concert repertoire at the Igreja Matriz de Sao Vicente in Cuba Alentejo on 04 May 2019. The Philippines also shared its best practices of biodiversity conservation on 28 April 2019 for the event entitled “Resist the Invader: The Water Hyacinth and the Guadiana Basin” in Elvas, Alentejo.
The Philippine Day Activity at Ferriera do Alentejo is a culmination of the Philippine’s participation in the 2019 Terra Sem Sombra Festival. END
The colorful native bags, fashion accessories and home décor made from natural indigenous materials were few of the highlights of the Philippine Day activity at Ferreira do Alentejo. (Lisbon PE photo)
Filipina entrepreneur and chef Jaymaylyn Day shows how to prepare Filipino style fried lumpia. Spicy sisig was also served to visitors at the Municipal Garden of Ferreira do Alentejo. (Lisbon PE photo)
Visitors enjoy Filipino pork adobo served on coconut rice bowls. (Lisbon PE photo)
Portuguese children enjoy the traditional Filipino game of Sungka, while other children learn how to balance and walk on stilts. (Lisbon PE photo)
Ferreira do Alentejo Mayor Luís António Pita Ameixa receives a token of appreciation from Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria at the Philippine Embassy’s tourism booth at the Municipal Garden of Ferreira do Alentejo. (Lisbon PE photo)
The Philippine tourism booth gives away fans made from anahaw leaves woven from the women weavers from Quezon province, Cebu dried mangoes and 3D holographic destination luggage tags from the Philippine Department of Tourism. (Lisbon PE photo)
Ambassador Feria presses appreciation to the people of Ferreira do Alentejo during her remarks before the Pundaquit Virtuosi concert. (Lisbon PE photo)
Pundaquit Virtuosi performs in the municipality of Ferreira do Alentejo.. (Lisbon PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph, or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinPortugal/.