LOS ANGELES – Bicol 2nd District Representative Al Francis C. Bichara, who was a special guest at the Philippine Consulate General’s (PCG-LA) cocktail reception on June 12, Wednesday, enjoyed seeing many Filipinos in Los Angeles celebrating the 115th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.
“I feel good about this,” Bichara told the Asian Journal. He lauded the Consulate’s active efforts in keeping the Filipino spirit alive in LA, and in keeping the community involved in such occasions.
Bichara, who concurrently holds Chairmanship for the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs said that he was happy to see this degree of involvement within the Los Angeles Filipino community.
“This is a proud day for us,” he added.
According to Bichara, everytime that the national day is celebrated, the Filipino pride that is expressed by the occasion gives Pinoys the “identity as a Filipino” and the feeling “that they belong to their country.”
“The good thing about here [in Los Angeles], I see happy faces all around. I feel happy about it,” the congressman added.
Bichara was not the only dignitary present at the cocktail reception hosted by Consul General Hellen Barber – De La Vega at her official residence in Los Angeles. Other political figures who attended the event included Filipino-American local officials like Mark Pulido (Mayor Pro Tem of Cerritos) and Elito M. Santarina (Mayor Pro Tem for Carson).
Vin d’ Honneur adaptation
According to Deputy Consul General Dan Espiritu, the celebration held on Wednesday night was the Consulate’s adaptation of the Vin d’Honneur, an official cocktail reception hosted by the Philippine President at the Malacañang Palace. It is customary to hold the Vin d’Honneur on the morning of a convenient date immediately following New Year’s Eve, and on Independence Day.
“Kung sa Pilipinas, may celebration tayo doon sa Kawit, Cavite. That one is for the people. But in Malacañang, they always have the Vin d’Honneur for the diplomatic corps,” Espiritu said.
To take the term literally, it would roughly translate into “cocktail of honor,” Espiritu added.
And with it being an official state event, the guests for these occasions are commonly the Consular Corps and dignitaries. However, since the Consulate in LA hosts the Filipino community in Southern California, the officials decided to invite local leaders and politicians as well.
As a consular establishment, hosting the formal reception on the national day is part of the duties of the PCG-LA, along with other consulates and embassies around the world. Espiritu said that the national day reception is one of the largest events held by these offices during the span of a year.
In other countries, the receptions are usually much more simple in terms of the program content. They would normally consist of a brief speech or message from the ambassador or consul general, then the national anthem would be sung, and the event would be concluded right away.
In LA, the Consulate organized the Vin d’Honneur to resemble Filipino fiesta, instead of a more formal and rigid occasion. Banderitas, or small colorful streamers adorned the open green space at ConGen De La Vega’s official residence on South Van Ness Avenue.
Tiki torches welcomed arriving guests, leading to a wide open yard littered with cocktail tables. A number of delectable hors d’oeuvres were served on two elegant buffet tables, accompanied by a small cocktail bar.
For entertainment, guests were treated to a medley of jazz and blues songs performed by Raffy Mariano of the Filipino-American Association of Sta. Clarita Valley. The ladies from the PCG-LA performed in a traditional dance number called polkabal.
And to end the night’s program, Binibining Pilipinas USA delegates dressed by Alan Del Rosario were featured in a fashion show, which showcased the designer’s Filipino-inspired collection.
An important occasion
For Filipinos invited to the event, the national day is more than a commemoration of an event that happened 115 years ago, and the celebration of Philippine sovereignty.
For Cerritos Mayor Pro Tem Mark Pulido, celebrating Philippine Independence inspires him to become a better public servant and a role model for Filipinos in his city.
“I believe that as Filipinos, we have a long legacy for standing up for what it right, and for living up to the ideals of freedom and democracy, much like those who fought freedom from Spain. Very much so that I today am trying continue to that legacy of service, legacy of involvement, and passing it to my wife and our children,” Pulido told Asian Journal.
The politician said that Filipinos should continue to live up to these values here in America and around the world, wherever Filipinos may be.
For Krizia Medenilla of We Are One Filipinos, celebrating Independence is also an opportunity to declare the youth sector’s intent to be more socially involved with the Filipino community. She also pointed out that Independence should not only refer to literal sovereignty, but also to freedom from an oppressive and defeatist mindset that hinders social and cultural progress.
“It’s our time to do something about it now. We may not be oppressed by a colonizer right now, but we are striving against cultural oppression,” Medenilla said.
For her part, ConGen De La Vega said that the Philippine Independence day should highlight the importance of the Philippine’s trade relations with the US. Taking the Philippines into consideration, along with its ASEAN neighbors, the trade value of the entire South East Asian region can roughly amount to $2 trillion, an amount that can almost equal the trade output of China.
And with America and California, undergoing economic strife, De La Vega pointed out that the “gateways” for US economic growth are found in the Philippines and in the ASEAN region.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend June 15-18, 2013 Sec A pg.7)
