July 13, 2016– The Philippine Independence Day was celebrated in Prague, Czech Republic with a flag-raising ceremony at the Philippine Embassy, a Thanksgiving Mass, and a Migrant’s Day outdoor get-together with the Filipino community on June 12.

Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic Victoriano M. Lecaros led the flag-raising ceremony at the Philippine Embassy in Prague. The ceremony was attended by Mrs. Melissa Lecaros, members of the Embassy staff and members of the Leyte Dance Theatre. The flag ceremony was followed by the reading of the Independence Day messages of President Benigno S. Aquino III and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras by Ambassador Lecaros and First Secretary and Consul Juan E. Dayang, Jr., respectively.

 A Holy Mass was offered at the Church of Our Lady of Victorious - Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague, which was attended by more than 300 mass-goers. The mass was celebrated by Carmelite Fr. Agnelo Rebello and hymns were sang by the Filipino Choir of the Infant Jesus of Prague. 

A lively “salo-salo” to celebrate Philippine Migrant’s Day was held at the courtyard of the Church, participated by more than 100 Filipinos in Prague. The Leyte Dance Theatre performed a folk dance that thrilled the Filipino community.

The Philippine Embassy prepared special Filipino dishes and some members of the Filipino community pitched in and shared their “lutong bahay” (home-made) dishes in the community spirit of “bayanihan.” END