15 April 2014 - A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Embassy on April 9 to commemorate the Araw ng Kagitingan or Bataan Day.

Embassy officers and staff headed by Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Lamberto V Monsanto and Administrative Officer Ms. Antonia B. Caba; officers and staff of attached agencies headed by Acting Labor Attaché Ms. Florencia P. Ardivilla, Welfare Attaché Ms. Norlita P. Lugtu, Social Welfare Attaché Ms. Annie Mendoza, Pag-IBIG representative Mr. Mahmoud Khalil, Social Security System (SSS) representative Mr. Juan D. Eribal, Jr.; and members of the Filipino community attended the ceremony.

Ms. Maria Alethea R. Nabo, Cultural Officer and Attaché, briefed the audience on the history of the Bataan Death March, where more than 76,000 starving and disease-ridden soldiers surrendered to the Japanese troops during the 2nd World War.

In his message, Ambassador Monsanto recalled the heroism and patriotism of Filipino soldiers during World War II who endured torture, disease and famine in defense of freedom. Thousands of Filipino and American soldiers died in the infamous Death March which he said, symbolized the tenacity of our soldiers in defending our homeland from Japanese invasion. He also stated that Bataan Day or Araw ng Kagitingan has become more significant in recent years in light of the situation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) when once again our soldiers may be called upon to defend Philippine sovereignty and territory. Ambassador Monsanto announced that the Philippines submitted its Memorial to the Arbitral Tribunal last 30 March, challenging China’s claims to the WPS and stating the merits of Philippine claims. He added that the Department of Foreign Affairs, as the prime agency of the government responsible for the pursuit of the State’s foreign policy, works closely with other government departments of our country to advance the Philippines’ national interest through diplomatic and legal means to preserve our territorial integrity.

Leading the singing of the Philippine National Anthem was Ms. Ann Margaret Beltran, Consular Assistant and Attaché; Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas by Mr. Omar Khalil, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) staff; while Mr. Salahodin T. Magayan, Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Arabic translator and Mr. Joey Atienza, POLO staff raised the Philippine flag. END