21 June 2016 – The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver hosted a consular reception and painting exhibition on June 13 to celebrate the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in Vancouver.
Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, in his address, highlighted the importance of this year’s theme, “Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, Pagsulong,” by sharing significant developments in the Philippines, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, which in turn has translated into positive economic gains and a favorable business climate for the country.
Consul General Ferrer also shared with the guests the economic gains brought about by the optimistic politico-economic situation in the country. He announced that the Government of British Columbia (BC), in deciding to expand its presence in the ASEAN region, has chosen to establish its first trade and investment office in Manila. He witnessed the inauguration of the office last May 27, which was led by BC Premier Christy Clark herself. He further stressed that this is a manifestation of the business confidence of the BC Government in the Philippines.
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer also noted that the Philippine Consulate General was celebrating another milestone—the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Philippine consular office in Vancouver, the very first Philippine foreign service post in the whole of Canada. He underscored that the Consulate General served as the Philippines’ first diplomatic and consular office covering the whole of Canada until the establishment of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa in 1971.
Minister Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Advanced Education, representing the BC government, delivered the message from Premier Clark, congratulating the Philippines on its 118th Independence Day. Minister Wilkinson noted the resilience and solidarity of the Filipino-Canadians as they forged new lives in their adopted homeland. He also acknowledged the contributions of the Filipinos in making BC and Canada a welcoming and progressive society.
A mini-art exhibition entitled, “Pieces of Dreams,” was simultaneously held at the reception. The exhibition showcased 14 artworks of Ms. Lenore R.S. Lim, a Filipina printmaker based in Manila, New York and Vancouver. Ms. Lim is a recipient of the Pamana ng Pilipino Award in 2004, a presidential citation given to Filipinos based overseas who have contributed to the dissemination of Filipino culture and arts abroad.
The Choir of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of BC (UPAABC) and Ms. Joey Albert, a pioneering Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artist, and Mr. Roland Milan Jr., a Filipino-Canadian baritone, provided light musical entertainment with original Filipino songs. END