17 June 2016 - At the Philippines' national day concert on 16 June 2016 in Ottawa, the Philippines and Canada affirmed the strength of their bilateral relations in remarks delivered by the Philippine Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia and her guest of honor, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion.

Departing from diplomatic tradition, the Philippine Embassy staged a national day concert to bring a foreign audience closer to the heart of a Filipino, in a space that pays homage to a hockey team beloved in Ottawa. "Music gives voice to the Filipino soul. It suffused our daily work, festive occasions, courtship and rituals long before our native culture absorbed western influences. From cradle to grave, music accompanies a Filipino's journey," Ambassador Garcia explained.

"Like conjoined twins, music and cheer are embedded in our psyche to the extent that our christenings and funerals are both attended by levity...We refuse to let dreadful situations stop us in our tracks. We refuse to cower in fear of the senseless. Music and cheer are the ingredients of Filipino resilience," the Ambassador added.

Dubbed Music 2 the Power of 2, the concert spotlighted virtuoso performances by Filipino-Canadian duo pianists Dorothy Uytengsu and Victoria Francisco as well as duo sopranos Bianca Camille Lopez and Aizel Izza Prietos, otherwise known as The Nightingales. Veteran broadcaster, journalist and corporate spokesperson Anna-Karina Tabuñar emceed the program.

Shared values as the lynchpin of bilateral relations

The concert honors heroes of the Philippine revolution and fetes the Filipino people for bringing about yet another peaceful transfer of power following clean, orderly and credible national elections. Ambassador Garcia hailed the Filipino vote as the fullest expression of vibrant democracies such as the Philippines and Canada.

The Philippines recalled that the Philippines was the first country in Asia to be visited by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion shortly after they assumed their high offices. Mr. Trudeau was also among the first heads of government to congratulate President-Elect Duterte in a telephone call last month.

In lieu of the traditional toast to bilateral relations, Ambassador Garcia asked for a moment of silence to remember victims of terrorism and violence around the world, including Canadian hostages John Ridsdel and Robert Hall.

Quoting Prime Minister Trudeau, Foreign Minister Dion reiterated Canada's firm resolve to work "with the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice, however long it takes."

Shifting center of gravity

Looking forward, Mr. Dion observed geo-political realities shifting towards the Asia-Pacific. "The Philippines is at the heart of this new reality. The Philippines is at the heart of Asia-Pacific that is the heart of the world," he declared.

Canada can be expected to channel its Asia-Pacific spirit to bring it closer to its neighbors. With the Philippines as one of its closest partners in Southeast Asia, Canada hopes to broaden commercial and tourism linkages as well as encourage the sharing of best practices in governance.

Foreign Minister Dion reaffirmed the importance of Canadian-Philippine friendship with the latter serving as country coordinator for the ASEAN-Canada dialogue and supporting Canada's bid to join the East Asia Summit. He also cited the Philippines' efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and processes as a model for the region.

Mr. Dion concluded his remarks with excerpts from My Retreat, a poem by national hero José Rizal.

An exceptional national day celebration

Powerful performances by the Embassy's guest artists bookended the exceptional celebration. Separately and together, the classically-trained ensemble of duo pianists Uytengsu and Francisco as well as duo sopranos Lopez and Prietos captivated the audience with their masterful rendition of a wide range of classical and popular music. As Ambassador Garcia promised, the music of the night made hearts beat to the tune of Filipino-Canadian friendship.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) supported the Philippine Embassy in this endeavor by way of sponsorship for The Nightingales.

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