IN celebration of the 125th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco hosted a National Day reception at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on Thursday, June 15.
Among the guests who attended the event were members of the San Francisco consular corps, a representative from the Office of Foreign Missions-SF, Bay Area government officials, Filipino American community leaders, and representatives from the academe, media, church, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Guests of honor included Colma Mayor Joanne del Rosario, Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano, South San Franciso Mayor Buenaflor Nicolas, Daly City Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo, Milpitas Vice Mayor Evelyn Chua, SF Chief of Protocol Maryam Muduroglu, SF Director for International Trade and Commerce Mark Chandler, SF Police Commissioner Kevin Benedicto, SF Board of Supervisors member Matt Dorsey, and Silicon Valley Protocol Chief Deanna Tryon.
Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Benjamin Reyes II, Alameda Superior Court Judge Pelayo Llamas, and Council members in various Bay Area counties were also present, including David Oro of Napa, Garry Barbadillo of Milpitas, Diosdado Matulac and Charles Palmares of Vallejo. Philippine Honorary Consul to Alaska Rebecca Carrillo and former Milpitas mayor Jose Estevez were also in attendance.
In his remarks, Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer welcomed the guests to the Philippine Center and thanked them for joining the Consulate on its 125th Independence Day celebration. He noted the importance of the occasion and how the Filipinos’ struggle for independence had paved the way for the establishment of a Filipino nation and propelled the quest for the country’s development. He noted the gains achieved in the country’s economy despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and the policy measures that are being pursued under the current administration to keep the economy on track of its economic goals. He also lauded the positive developments in Philippines-U.S. relations, citing the recent U.S. visit of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, the continued strengthening of people-to-people ties between the two countries, and the contributions of the 4-million strong Filipino Americans in the U.S. in enhancing such relations.
Colma Mayor Joanne del Rosario talked about the personal significance of the celebration to her family, noting her grandfather’s participation in the crafting of the Malolos Constitution, the heroism of the young Filipino war hero Gregorio del Pilar who was a cousin to her, and the service that her late brother, former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, had rendered in pursuit of the nation’s interests.
Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano and Vice Mayor Evelyn Chua presented to Consul General Ferrer a proclamation declaring June as Philippine Cultural Month in Milpitas.
South San Francisco Mayor Buenaflor Nicolas talked about the service and contributions of Filipino Americans in enriching the government, economy, culture, and society, of South San Francisco, the biotech capital of the world. She also expressed pride in her Filipino identity as well as in being the first ever female Fil-Am mayor of the city.
SF Chief of Protocol Maryam Muduroglu conveyed her congratulations to the Consulate and the Filipino American community on their celebration of the 125th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence. She also noted the city government’s support in promoting the ties between San Francisco and the Philippines, citing the recent visit to the Philippines of the SF Sister-City Committee. She also looked forward to the continuing cooperation between the city and the Philippines, particularly, in the context of the city’s hosting of the delegations from various countries, including the Philippines, during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting later this year.
Brio Ensemble presented its rendition of the following songs: “Manila” by Filipino band Hotdog, which tells about a man’s longing for his home country; “The Human Heart,” from the stage musical “Once on this Island,” which was sung by Lea Salonga; and “Let the Sunshine In,” an iconic song of the hippie generation from the group “The Fifth Dimension,” and which was also featured in the Broadway musical “Hair.”
Gian Paolo Eleria, the musical director of Brio Ensemble, provided classical and pop music on the piano while muted videos of tourist destinations in the Philippines were played on the screen wall.
A sumptuous dinner of Filipino cuisine was served to the guests, which included sisig, lechon, lumpiang ubod in lettuce wrap, lumpiang Shanghai, and pancit bihon, among others.
A hosted bar also offered a sampling of the following Filipino wines and spirits: the Ube Cream Liqueur, which won the 2022 World Liqueur Awards under the Best Cream Liqueur Category and the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; the Don Papa Rum, a premium aged single island rum from the Philippines which won the bronze medal during the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition under the Gold Rum category; the silky smooth Tanduay Rum; and the world renowned San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen. (PCGSF Release)