18 June 2015 – The Guam Reef Hotel and Olive Spa Resort, in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Guam, once again hosted the Filipino community on the island for the annual flag raising ceremony to celebrate the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. The Anak Band led the singing of the Philippine National Anthem with members of a visiting Armed Forces of the Philippines delegation doing the honors of raising the flag. After the national anthem, Consul Edgar Tomas Q. Auxilian led the “Panunumpa sa Watawat.”
The Guam Reef and Olive Spa Resort has been the partner of the Consulate General in promoting the Philippines and has hosted the traditional flag rasing ceremony and Filipino breakfast during Philippine Independence Day for the past eight years.
Guam Reef Hotel General Manager Yasuhiro Kotera delivered remarks at the traditional Filipino breakfast that followed the ceremony to welcome to the hotel Consul General Marciano R. De Borja, Lt. Gov. Raymond Tenorio, Armed Forces of the Philippines Rear Admiral Aurelio Rabusa, Jr. and members of his delegation, members of the Guam National Guard, as well as members of the 33rd Guam Legislature, members of the Consular Corps, the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General, and the officers and members of the different Filipino Organizations on Guam.
After the welcome remarks, Consul General De Borja delivered his Independence Day message, and thanked the management of Guam Reef Hotel for its continued support of the activities of the Consulate General and for hosting the flag raising ceremony and traditional Filipino breakfast for the past eight years.
Lt. Gov. Raymond Tenorio also graced the event on behalf of Governor Eddie Baza Calvo. He greeted the Filipino community on its commemoration of Independence Day and thanked them for their many contributions to the development and welfare of the island. Mr. Norman Analista, 1st Vice President of the Filipino Community on Guam, delivered the closing remarks and shared how his family first arrived in Guam from Iloilo.
The program was followed by a traditional Filipino breakfast, with guests partaking of arroz caldo (rice porridge), champorado (chocolate rice porridge), sinangag (garlic fried rice), daing na bangus (fried milkfish), scrambled eggs, longganisa, salted eggs, ensaladang talong (eggplant salad) and tocino. Desserts included nilupak, kutsinta, puto and ensaymada. END