Clockwise from top: The ladies of the Filipino community in Ottawa stand with Ambassador Garcia as the Philippine flag flies over Ottawa City Hall; The audience sings the Philippine and Canadian National Anthems; Ambassador Garcia and Mayor Watson prepare to hoist the flag; Members of the Filipino community pose for a group photo. (Photos courtesy of Mr. Alvin Conchas III and Mr. Benjamin David)

 12 June 2018, Ottawa – The Filipino community in Ottawa gathered at City Hall today for a flag-raising ceremony in commemoration of the 120th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. In attendance were Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila Garcia, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, representatives from the Philippine Independence Committee of the Ottawa Valley (PICOV), and other members of the local community.

The ceremony opened with the Philippine National Anthem sung by the HIMIG Chorale while Ambassador Garcia and Mayor Watson hoisted the Philippine flag in front of City Hall. The choir also sang the Canadian National Anthem.

Ambassador Garcia thanked Mayor Watson and other city officials for declaring June 9 to 16, 2018 Filipino Heritage Week. “It is with a distinct feeling of pride that we see the Philippine flag flying over City Hall, but we are even more proud of the Filipino – Canadian community here that has contributed so much to the city of Ottawa and kept their Filipino cultural heritage alive and strong, further enriching the multicultural fabric of Canada,” she stated.

The flag-raising ceremony is one of many activities organized by the Filipino community in Ottawa, in partnership with the Philippine Embassy, for the month of June in celebration of Philippine Independence. END.