15 June 2016 - In commemoration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu held a flag-raising ceremony and hosted a breakfast reception for the community on June 12. This year’s Independence Day theme was “Kalayaan 2016: Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, Pagsulong” (Unite, Participate, Progress).
Incoming Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary, Atty. Perfecto Yasay Jr., and his wife, Mrs. Cecile Yasay were the Guests of Honor at the event.
After the flag-raising ceremony, the special program kicked-off with the awarding of the certificate of recognition signed by Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin to the children of the consulate staff who recently graduated.
This was followed by a reception, during which the Independence Day messages of President Benigno S. Aquino III and Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras were read. A video message of Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia conveying his message was also shown. Consul General Jamoralin and Atty. Yasay also delivered their Independence Day Messages.
The following organizations of the Philippine Consulate General who had supported and partnered with the Philippine Consulate General in the past year in its economic and cultural diplomacy programs as well as in the provision of consular services were recognized during the program: the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii (PCCCH); the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (COCH); the Knights of Rizal Hawaii USA Chapter, Philippine Airlines Honolulu Office, Hawaii-Filipino Chronicle, The Fil-Am Courier and the Offices of the Mayors of Maui and Kauai.
Around 300 guests attended the reception, which included Hawaii State legislators, former U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa, members of the Consular Corps of Hawaii, Filipino-American WWII veterans, business leaders, members of the academe, media and Filipino-American community. END
