PH Embassy in Vientiane Expresses Appreciation to Filcom During PH Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony
Philippine Ambassador to Laos Belinda M. Ante leads the singing of the Philippine National Anthem during the flag-raising ceremony celebrating the 122nd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 12 June 2020 at the Embassy grounds. (Vientiane PE photo)
VIENTIANE 17 June 2020 – The Philippine Embassy in Vientiane hosted a flag-raising ceremony in celebration of the 122nd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 12 June 2020 at the Embassy grounds.
The Embassy’s personnel, family, and private staff were joined by a total of 16 members of the Filipino Community in Vientiane, comprising Filipino Community leaders and members of the community who provided assistance to the Embassy’s provision of food packs to Filipinos in distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. During the event, the Embassy ensured that all personnel and guests practiced physical distancing in accordance with Lao government regulations.
The flag-raising ceremony opened with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem and followed by the recitation of the Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas led by Ms. Marianne Pante, voluntary missionary of Every Nation Church in Vientiane. Afterward, Philippine Ambassador to Laos Belinda M. Ante and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jose Carlo Morales read the messages of Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. respectively, in commemoration of the 122nd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
Ambassador Ante delivered her own remarks and said that the flag-raising ceremony was an opportunity for the Embassy to discuss pressing issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Filipino Community. She expressed her appreciation for the assistance extended by the Filipino Community to the Embassy, as well as to fellow Filipinos in distress. Ambassador Ante also thanked Mr. Barry Antonio of Whessoe Sdn. Bhd., whose company repatriated Filipinos to the Philippines last 13 June 2020. The Ambassador also requested the Filipino Community to inform Filipinos who are in need of assistance to contact the Embassy immediately in order for the Embassy to address their needs and concerns.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Embassy personnel and the Filipino Community enjoyed a simple Filipino breakfast with fried eggs, daing, longganisa, lumpiang shanghai, ensalada, biko, and rice. The attendees discussed several issues at hand including the current developments in Laos regarding COVID-19, the repatriation of Filipinos via the Whessoe-chartered Air Asia flight, and other matters during the breakfast. The Filipino Community leaders assured the Embassy of their continued assistance in the dissemination of information regarding the Philippine government and Embassy-led initiatives. END
A simple Filipino breakfast followed the flag-raising ceremony, featuring Filipino cuisine which includes fried eggs, adobo, daing, longganisa, lumpiang shanghai, ensalada, biko, and rice. (Vientiane PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.vientianepe.dfa.gov.ph, or https://www.facebook.com/vientianepe/.