The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, Canada

FILIPINOS IN OTTAWA COMMEMORATE RIZAL DAY

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Rizal Day

28 December 2018, Ottawa – Filipinos in Ottawa gathered on Friday, 28 December 2018, to commemorate Rizal Day in honor of the Philippine hero Dr. Jose Rizal who was executed by Spanish colonial authorities in 1896.

Organized by the Embassy of the Philippines in Canada, the event kicked off with the Rizal Day Message of Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia read by First Secretary and Consul Greg Marie Mariño. A wreath-laying ceremony followed, with First Secretary and Consul Jeffrey Salik setting the wreath at the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal on behalf of the Embassy. Dr. Ruby Formoso, representing the Philippine Heritage Foundation of Canada, and Dr. Alfredo Formoso, representing the Knights of Rizal National Capital Region Canada Chapter, also laid bouquets of flowers at the bust.

Mr. Emil “Jhun” Mendoza of Ala Eh! organization sang Freddie Aguilar’s “Bayan Ko” during the program and members of the audience took turns reading Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” in Spanish, English, and Filipino. The event was capped with Francisco Santiago’s “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” sung by the audience. END.

NEW FILIPINO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED IN TORONTO

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Members and guests of the New Lucena Association of Toronto danced through the evening of the Association’s inaugural event.

Explanation of Vote of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on the Global Compact for Migration

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TLL UNGA New York

[Delivered during the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York City on 19 December 2018]

Madame President, my good friend Foreign Minister Peter Szijjärtó.

The Philippines will vote in favor of and strongly supports this resolution endorsing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Some of our friends in this endeavor have withdrawn under pressure from political constituencies. Others opposed it from the start for the same reason. And that is only right; we should respond to our constituencies for we are all democracies. Still others have reasons with which we agree or with which we do not completely disagree; but where we do disagree we must not leave them unanswered.

Statement of HON. TEODORO L. LOCSIN JR., Secretary of Foreign Affairs, at the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

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Delivered at Bab Ighli, Blue Zone in Marrakesh, Morocco on 10 December 2018]

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. We thank the Kingdom of Morocco for its warm and generous hospitality.

These are days of fear, fury and confusion. Some of our friends in today’s endeavor have withdrawn under pressure from their constituencies. And they must indeed respond to them for we are democracies. But while some of the lights are going out in the West as once they did, the bright shining lights of the likes of Germany, France and Spain continue to push back the darkness enveloping the migrant experience. The Philippines is not discouraged. The GCM enjoys near universal support and those not yet ready to commit recognize the clear need to discuss migration.

We have defeated the notion that migration is bad; quite the opposite. And we did this with facts and not frightful fantasies of losses of jobs no Westerner would take. We did it with reason by showing that migrants have been useful additions to host countries. Not fear but facts shaped our perception; reason not passion distinguished discussion at the UN if nowhere else, and we should be proud to acknowledge that a decent regard for the opinion of mankind dictated our decision to adopt the Global Compact today.