25 August 2015 – Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund P. Cortes hosted the first ever musical celebration of the Linggo ng Wika at the Rizal Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai last August 19. It was attended by close to 200 guests from the business sector and the Filipino community including officers Philippine schools and other esteemed guests. 

The two-hour musical concert in celebration of the 2015 Linggo ng Wika with the theme Filipino: Wika ng Pambansang Kaunlaran, is the first of its kind done by the Consulate General in cooperation with a local Filipino-managed radio station Wow 107 FM.

Other performers included the stand up comedian/performers from the Makati Bar of Asiana Hotel and the Sonny and Friends Band of the Mercure Gold Hotel, both located in Dubai. 

The musical event covered by local print and radio media was highlighted by various  performances of Tagalog, Ilokano, Kapampangan, Cebuano/Bisaya and Maranao songs, much to the delight of the audience. The Consulate General also prepared selected Filipino delicacies for the guests such as palitaw, kutsinta, pansit, fried banana and tropical fruits. 

Cultural Officer Cecilia Caparas and her sister Nerissa Caparas, a local hire employee at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA) also provided renditions of popular Filipino songs during the concert.   

The next item in the Consulate General's cultural calendar for this year is the special private screening of Heneral Luna, a film based on the life of Filipino hero General Antonio Luna, on August 30 at the Rizal Hall in time for the celebration of the National Heroes' Day on August 31.  END