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| Philippine Independence Day celebration |
The celebration of the 108 th anniversary of Philippine independence in Islamabad last 12 June was a great success. Photos of the reception were bannered o n the front page and metropolitan sections of the major Pakistani newspapers. Clippings of the press coverage and captioned photographs of the flag ceremony held in the morning and of the reception held in the evening are enclosed. |
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| Close to 400 invitees showed up at the reception. Guests considered the affair one of the best-attended national day receptions and among the best organized and most delightful. The Philippine Embassy arranged the guestlist so that all Filipinos able to come were invited. And they came in full force and in colorful attire. The reception clearly showed the unity of the Filipino community in Pakistan . |
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| Other guests were high officials of the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries, ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, officers of the Chambers of Commerce and other businessmen and individuals with Philippine association, including graduates of Philippine universities. Venue was the banquet hall of the top hotel in Islamabad , the Serena, owned by the Aga Khan, and which the Philippine Embassy decorated to achieve a barrio fiesta effect. |
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Highlight of the evening was a smoothly flowing cultural program participated in by Ambassador Jaime J. Yambao and other singing officers of the Philippine Embassy and members of the Filipino community including the children. It featured songs that were internationally well-known and showcased several aspects of the Philippine musical heritage and dances that displayed the varied tapestry of Philippine culture. Script and overall direction were handled by Amb. Yambao. The Philippine songs were well-understood and appreciated by the audience because their summary translations were projected on a screen while being sung. |
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| Another highlight was the Philippine food served along with a Pakistani menu. The Philippine fare included chicken adobo, steak Batangas style, pancit sotanghon, lumpiang gulay, leche flan and brazo de Mercedes. A big hit was the halo-halo stand which used authentic ingredients, including ube halaya and pinipig and brought joy and nostalgia especially to the Filipino oldtimers and former residents of the Philippines . The reception projected the Philippines as a tourists' haven. The Philippine Embassy hang framed posters on the many islands of the country on the walls of the banquet hall and showed a video sent by the DOT before and after the cultural program. |
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| In his short opening remarks, Amb. Yambao explained why Filipinos felt proud on their national day: it recalled the first national anti-colonialist revolution and the first constitutional republic in Asia . He urged Filipinos to be true to the legacy of Rizal and other heroes through love of country, protection of freedom and democracy, and contributing to national progress. At the simple flag-raising ceremony held in the morning at the residence of the Philippine Ambassador and attended by the Philippine Embassy staff and leaders of the Filipino community , Embassy officials read the Independence Day messages of the President, Vice President, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs. These messages were prominently displayed at the hall entrance of the evening reception. |
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| PROPHET FOR ALL HUMANITY |
Remarks of His Excellency Jaime J. Yambao, Ambassador of the Philippines, at the International Mawlid Conference, Lahore, 10 April 2006. |
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| In the Name of Allah,the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful |
| It is a great honor for me to be invited to this momentous gathering. The honor is not only for me but also for the Philipppine government and people whom I represent in Pakistan. |
| The Philippines is a country of 85 million people, 10% of whom are Muslims. Over 95% of the population believe in One Almighty, Most Gracious and Most Merciful God. |
Actually, the number of Muslims in the Philippines has been increasing with the increase in the general population and the significant number of conversions especially among Filipinos working in Islamic countries. |
| In the past, Filipinos of Muslim faith were mostly confined to the southern island of Mindanao. Today, 50% of all Muslims in the Philippines are found all over the country outside Mindanao. Mosques are a common part of the landscape throughout the archipelago. |
| Filipinos regardless of their religion have equal rights and responsibilities before the law. Many Muslims occupy positions of power and prestige not only in the autonomous government of the predominantly Muslim provinces of Mindanao but also in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the national government . The culture of Muslim Filipinos is treasured and protected as an integral part of the national heritage. |
Muslim holidays including Eid Mawlid un Nabi are observed in the Philippines. Indeed the Filipino people join all of you in praising and thanking Allah for bestowing on humanity the Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him, whose birthday we joyously celebrate today. |
| It is but fitting and auspicious that we celebrate the birthday of the Prophet, peace be unto him, by recalling the example of his life and his teachings. As the Qur'an says in Chapter 33, verse 21, " Indeed in the messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good Example to follow for him who hopes for the meeting with Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." |
| Certainly, Muhammad, peace be unto him, was a Prophet for all humanity. As he mentioned during his farewell pilgimage in Makka, he was not afraid so much of the Muslims worshipping the idols back again as that nations would fight one another. It was his nightmare moreover that in those conflicts the innocent, women and children, and the environment would be the ones victimized most. |
| Historians put the Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him, at the top of lists of the leaders who most influenced the course of history. He is considered extraordinary even among the prophets for accomplishing during his lifetime what he set out to pursue. But a point that is often forgotten or overlooked by many is that the victories of Muhammad, peace be unto him, were above all spiritual victories. While he did fight in battles in defense of Islam, he did not go to war for war's sake. He would always prefer not to fight battles. His constant focus was saving souls for according to him, "the death of one person is just a death of one person. Save a soul, you save the whole generation." |
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him, conquered lands and peoples by living and following splritual principles that in the modern world are often regarded naive or simplistic but by circumspection can be seen to be eternally true and valid. The Prophet tells us: "Protect yourself away from hell, if its worth giving out a half of a date." The life of the Prophet, in many instances, shows how generosity and mercy can facilitate peace and conciliation and breed the fruits of love among people. |
The Prophet also tells us: "No one is a believer until he aspires for others what he loves for himself." This is called the Golden Rule but its value has been lost to individuals and nations in their dealings with one another. We see it lost especially among mighty leaders and nations dealing with weaker ones. And don't they often realize too late the folly of violating this spiritual principle! |
| The Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him, was a champion par excellence of human rights. Everyone, to him, has to be respected, women or children, young or old, rich or poor, Muslims or non-Muslims. Through the Prophet, Allah has obliged all those who believe in Him to care for the needy and destitute. |
| The Prophet asked and got the people of his time to discard chauvinistic and clannish attitudes and show brotherly love towards one another. That remains his one great message: through brotherly love we shall find the path to peace and salvation. |
Truly, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him, is a prophet for all humanity. As Allah proclaimed in the Qu'uran, Chapter 21, Verse 107, |
"And we have set you, O Muhammad but as a Mercy for the 'alamin' (mankind and all that exist)" |
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© copyright 2005-2006. all rights reserved. EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN |
website designed and developed by: Mark Anthony G. Mondoñedo |