MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Beijing honoured the descendants of a Filipino-Chinese Guerilla force who fought along with Filipino freedom fighters during the Second World War in a reception held on Wednesday to celebrate the Philippines’ 127th Independence Day.
Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime A. FlorCruz headed the ceremony, recalling the “gallantry of Filipinos in their fight for freedom” and how a similar “display of courage and bravery” was seen when Filipino and Chinese guerilla forces fought together to liberate a town in Laguna during the Second World War, also known as the Battle of Sta. Cruz.
“We celebrate the 127th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence with the theme, ‘Freedom, Future, History.’ On June 12, 1898, our people declared independence from more than 300 years of colonial rule and asserted our freedom as a people and a nation,” the Philippine Ambassador said.
“Ours is a story of honour, camaraderie and bravery in the fight for independence and self-determination. It is a story of our fight for freedom and nationhood,” he added.
Guests to the diplomatic reception included descendants of the Filipino-Chinese Guerilla force who fought along with the Filipino freedom fighters in the Second World War.
Ambassador FlorCruz also underscored the long-standing ties among Filipinos and Chinese, from centuries of exchanges to ongoing economic and people-to-people exchanges.
“Tonight, I wish to put the spotlight on people— the many men and women who have been building bridges of friendship between the Philippines and China,” Ambassador FlorCruz said, highlighting that the Embassy is also commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Philippines-China Diplomatic Reception.
Business leaders from the Philippines were also invited to join the festivities.
Special Envoy Maynard Ngu, Mr. Salvador “Buddy” Zamora, and Mr. Carlos Chan flew to Beijing on the invitation of Ambassador FlorCruz to grace the commemorative events in China, the Philippine Embassy stated.
The Embassy also launched the book #MadeItInChina, a compilation of stories from an online series of the same title that featured Filipinos who have succeeded in China across different professions.
(Photo courtesy of Philippine Embassy in China)
“Their stories are a testament to the strength and resilience of our people and highlight their distinctive contributions to the narrative of Philippine-China friendship. Their stories show that China is a place where Filipinos can find their chosen careers, thrive and succeed,” Ambassador FlorCruz said.
Maestro Raul Sunico, a world-renowned pianist, and the Loboc Children’s Choir travelled to China and performed during the diplomatic reception while the National Commission for Culture and the Arts supported the event through the Sentro Rizal Beijing, the embassy mentioned.
