Belgium Joins in Solidarity with the Filipino Nation in Celebrating PH Independence Day 2020
Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega holds Philippine flaglets at the entrance of the Chancery, which was decked with flaglets in observance of Philippine Flag Day. (Brussels PE photo)
BRUSSELS 17 June 2020 — As the world continues to struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine Embassy in Brussels celebrated Philippine Independence Day 2020 with special programs to engage the Filipino community and the general public in a virtual celebration of this important occasion. The people of Belgium also displayed their solidarity with the Filipino nation with a special gesture for the Philippines.
The celebration was heralded by the observance of the National Flag Day as Philippine flaglets adorned the Embassy grounds from 28 May to 12 June 2020.
From 07 June 2020, the Embassy featured in its Facebook Page its Kalayaan 2020 series of video performances of Filipino artists at the Philippine Embassy and a two-part “Tribute to Front Liners” composed of video clips of Filipino frontliners in Belgium and Luxembourg while on duty, to honor them for their sacrifices and dedicated service to the public during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Screenshots from musical performances of Filipino artists featured in the Kalayaan 2020 Video Series that is now being shown on the Embassy’s Facebook page. Left photo: Michael Cu (pianist) and Mikko Pablo (cellist) from Belgium. Right photo: Marga Abejo-Momper and Thibault Momper (classical guitarists) from Luxembourg.
Among the Filipino artists featured in the Embassy’s Kalayaan 2020 video series were the Pundaquit Virtuosi string ensemble who visited Belgium in May 2019; cellist Mikko Pablo and pianist Michael Cu from Belgium; and classical guitarists Marga Abejo-Momper and her husband Thibault Momper from Luxembourg. The Embassy’s very own Banda Embahada composed of Mary Madeleine Denopra (vocalist), Francis Berme (Vocalist), Michael Nicolas (guitar) and Liza Jane Estalilla (piano), also presented their rendition of the song “With a Smile” by the Eraserheads to brighten up the spirit of the Filipino community in this time of crisis.
The Philippine Embassy in Brussels team visit the Manneken Pis, Belgium’s iconic statue dressed in camisa chino and holding a Philippine flag to symbolize Belgium’s solidarity with the Philippines in celebrating Philippine Independence Day on 12 June 2020. From left: Honorary Consul-designate Ronny de Blaere, Consul Charles Andrei Macaspac, Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega, Cultural Officer Liza Jane Estalilla, Mr. Raymund Opiniano and Mr. Roger Balmes. (Brussels PE photo)
Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega at the Manneken Pis fountain with a local Filipino resident, Mr. Ryan Salivo of Ilonggos Belgium, who is celebrating his birthday on Philippine Independence Day. (The camisa chino worn by the statue was donated by former Vice President Salvador Laurel in 1986.)
Early in the morning of 12 June 2020, Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega visited the famous Grand Place in appreciation of Belgium’s gesture of solidarity in celebrating our National Day by arranging specially for the world-famous Manneken-Pis boy statue to don the Philippine camisa chino with the Philippine flag in one hand. The Embassy team was joined in that same tourist site by a local resident Filipino named Ryan Salivo, one of the founders of Ilonggos Belgium, who informed the Ambassador that he makes it a point to come by to see the Manneken Pis in Philippine attire every year as his birthday also falls on 12 June.
Ambassador Eduardo José A. de Vega (rearmost, third from left) delivers his Philippine Independence Day message to Embassy personnel and representatives from the Offices of the Commercial and Agricultural Attaches during the flag ceremony held at the Embassy’s garden on 12 June 2020. Everyone is wearing a face mask in compliance with local measures to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus. (Belgium PE photo)
The Embassy personnel personnel, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Agriculture offices, held a flag raising ceremony at the Embassy’s garden. After the ceremony, Ambassador de Vega read the message of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte while Consul General Maria Anna Lilia L. de Vera called the group to observe a moment of silence to remember those who died from COVID-19 and for the late Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay who earlier passed away on that day. In his message, Ambassador de Vega expressed his appreciation to the Embassy team and partner agencies for their support and resilience during the lockdown period and encouraged them to remain vigilant in their dedication to serve our country and people in this time of crisis. This ceremony was livestreamed on the Embassy’s Facebook page.
“Our President said in his message that we should all free ourselves from fear, selfishness and prejudice in order to endure this pandemic, and so as your Ambassador, I ask you to display that same courage of our national heroes and thereby be worthy of emulation for our kababayans here in Europe,” said Ambassador de Vega. END
The Philippine Embassy in Brussels and partner agencies personnel watch the streaming of “Apolinario Mabini: Talino at Paninindigan” during the Philiippine Independence Luncheon held at the Embassy’s Bulwagan ng Mga Bayani on 12 June 2020. (Brussels PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.brusselspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBelgium/.