23 June 2014 – The officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, led by Chargé d’ Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission Gilberto G.B. Asuque, commemorated on June 19 the 153rd birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal with a floral offering and a reflection on the relevance of Dr. Rizal’s courage and patriotism in the current challenges of the Philippine Foreign Service.
The officers and staff began the commemoration at the Embassy’s Nampedai-cho compound in Shibuya-ku with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem followed by the laying of a flower bouquet by CDA Asuque at the bust of Dr. Rizal.
In his greetings, CDA Asuque stressed to colleagues in the Embassy the importance of the annual commemoration of the birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal to constantly remind civil servants of the courage, patriotism, commitment to the ideals of democracy and selfless dedication to the promotion of the national interest, values that the national hero fought for the nation and brought to the present generation of Filipinos. These values would provide the guiding principles on which the Philippine Foreign Service officers and staff perform their duties in their places of assignment.
Vice Consul Andrea Leycano read a passage in one of the literary works of Dr. Rizal and shared her reflections on the significance of the message in the work and current challenges of the Philippine Foreign Service. The event was capped with a photo of the officers and staff before the bust of Dr. Rizal. END
