The Philippine Embassy in Muscat celebrated the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence by holding a series of activities for the month of June. On June 12, the traditional flag-raising ceremony was held, followed by the reading of the Independence Day messages of the President and the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Labor and Employment. The Embassy staff joined Filipino community and organizations and the Philippine School officials and faculty in the morning festivities.
On the same day, Father Raul R. Ramos officiated a Holy Mass at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Ghala, Muscat followed by a simple cultural program organized by various Filipino prayer groups, which was attended by Embassy representatives.
The Embassy also supported the commemorative sports activities undertaken by the Filipino community. Pinoy Oman Bikers toured around Muscat for 3 hours, which was dubbed as “Independence Day Ride.” The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) also held a one-day bowling tournament on June 13, in cooperation with the Pinoy Bowlers of Oman, in which 70 bowling contestants participated.
This year’s celebration also included the “Gabi ng Parangal sa mga Manggagawang Pilipino sa Oman,” which had Philippine Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman Narciso T. Castañeda as its Guest of Honor. The event recognized Filipino workers with more than 25 years of continuous service to their employers and the awarding of Model OFW Families in Oman. About 300 Filipinos, Omanis, and other expatriates from various sectors attended the event.
In his remarks, Ambassador Castañeda praised the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for their selfless dedication and contribution to their family and to the country’s economic development. He further requested the involvement and cooperation of OFWs in choosing the right leaders in this coming 2016 national election.
Times of Oman, one of the biggest newspapers in the Sultanate of Oman, also published a 4-page special supplement for the occasion. The supplement contained feature articles and news stories about the Philippines. It also included the Independence Day messages of the President, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and the Philippine Ambassador.
