24 June 2016 - As part of the celebration of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine independence, the Embassy, in cooperation with the Filipino-Portuguese Association and the Filipino Catholic Community in Portugal, held a program and lunch on June 19 at the Hotel Tryp Lisboa Aeroporto.
Some 350 guests attended, a notable portion of whom are employers, friends, and relatives of Filipinos living in Portugal. The whole-day affair started with a simultaneous mass of the Catholic and a church service of the Born Again church. The celebration was very well received with warmth and enthusiasm both by Filipino and Portuguese guests. They also partook of the Philippine cuisine lunch served by one of the most successful and thriving Filipino restaurants in Portugal, Kababayan Restaurant.
During the program, the Kalayaan 2016 messages of Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras and President Benigno S. Aquino, III were read by Consul General Gines Jaime Ricardo D. Gallaga and Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier, respectively.
Ambassador Lhuillier also presented plaques of appreciation for the three (3) major organizations of the Filipino Community in Portugal: the Filipino-Portuguese Association, Filipino Catholic Community, and Born Again Church.
The audience were also treated to cultural presentations which represented dances from the three (3) major islands of the Philippines. END
