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“PAMASKONG HANDOG” IN KUALA LUMPUR BRINGS RECORD CROWD TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

23 December 2014 - The Filipino community in Malaysia took time out from their usual Sunday routines to come together in a concert that not just brought them together to celebrate Christmas, but also provided assistance to alternative learning centers (ALC) in Sabah on December 14 at the KL Live@Life Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Dubbed “Pamaskong Handog,” the event was co-sponsored by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gabay Guro program, and the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia, and brought together close to 1,500 Filipinos in an afternoon of performances, raffles and paying tribute to educators and mentors.

In his opening remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya paid tribute to the Filipino community and thanked them for their support and assistance to the Embassy’s projects and programs for the year.

“All of us have gifts and have been receiving gifts, and it comes in many forms—a deep faith, a calling to service to your fellow men, a good family, smart children, a promising career, a thriving business, or having understanding friends like the people who are with you today.  God gave these gifts to us because we have the ability to understand them, receive them and may I add, to share them. So let us continue to share, to care, and be united as one Filipino community,” he said.

The program boasted of performances from Filipino community members, such as an Ifugao dance from Bibak, song and dance number from St. John’s Tahanang Pilipino, a hiphop dance from Filipinos Residing in Malaysia and a song number from Yasmin Abdullah Aziz. 

Malaysia-based Filipino talents, singer-songwriter Mark Adam, whose love song “Pencuri” (Thief) is a hit in Malaysian airwaves, and singer-actress and voice behind the “Malaysia Truly Asia” jingle Maria Jazsmine, also performed.  They were joined by Manila-based artists, such as singer-actress Regine Velasquez, actor-host Derek Ramsay, singer Michael Pangilinan, and singer-comedians Ate Gay and Regina.

During the event, the Embassy also bestowed awards for individuals and groups who were instrumental for the success of its programs and projects for the year. Those given Community Service Awards were FFAM Vice President Maria Carmecita Añonuevo, Princess Dr. Becky Leogardo, Tan Sri Othman and Puan Sri Sylvia Merican, Kimberly Lee, Smart Pinoy, and PLDT Global Corporation, while those given the Ambassdor’s Recognition for Excellence in Music were Mr. Adam and Ms. Maria Jazsmine.

The Gabay Guro (2G) program of the PLDT Foundation was also launched in Malaysia.  It is an education arm and a flagship project of the PLDT-SMART Foundation, which aims to further education and educational initiatives in the Philippines, Foundation. Run by volunteers composed of the PLDT Manager's Club Inc., its core programs include scholarship grants for those who wish to pursue an education degree, trainings for educators, trainings and educational facilities, livelihood programs, provision of broadband internet and computers to schools and teacher’s tribute. 

During the event, a pass-the-hat initiative was also undertaken for the benefit of ALCs in Malaysia.

The Embassy has actively been supporting ALCs in Sabah, which provide basic literacy to Filipino children who have no access to regular education. Currently, there are seven ALCs in the area, spread across Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Keningau. 

The Embassy and Smart Pinoy honored teachers and mentors based in Malaysia during the event, particularly the United Resource Speakers Group, a group of resource speakers at the Embassy’s Migrant Workers and Other Filipinos Resource Center (MWORFC). 

They include Edelina Rocutan, Aileen Yap, Ginalyn Medrano, Violy Hans, Carmen Calawigan, Editha Rocutan, Perlita Corpuz, Nila Perono, Irene Ynumerable, Armelinda Ducay, Christy Almeda, Estrelita Jacinto, Siti Rosalia Oleta, Roland Ompoc, Jacob Samson, Nenita Bueno, Evangeline Tubianosa, Babie de Vera Wong, Lorlyn Belmis, Haidee Panganiban, Aivee Ballesteros and Norberto Butacan. 

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PHL EMBASSY BRINGS FILIPINO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, TRADITIONS TO DHAKA

23 December 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Dhaka welcomed the winter season in Bangladesh with Filipino Christmas traditions in the evening of December 11. The  Embassy grounds filled with gleaming lights and angelic hymns of the holiday season with the lighting of the Embassy’s Christmas lantern display.
 
In his Christmas message, Philippine Ambassador to Bangladesh Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo cited the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Bangladesh for projecting a good image of the Philippines through their remarkable demonstration of professionalism in their work. He also thanked the Filipino organizations for their continued support to the Embassy in promoting and raising the presence of Filipinos in the country.   He expressed the hope that the year ahead would  again be another opportunity for both the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community to bring out and share to Bangladesh the best that the Philippines has to offer.

The Simbang Gabi was held at the Philippine Embassy garden, celebrated by Fr. Emmanuel Rozario of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Dhaka. 

Joining the guests was Charge d’Affaires Reverend Massimo Catterin of the Holy See Embassy who enjoyed the singing of Christmas carols by representatives of the two Filipino organizations in Dhaka; the Philippine Society in Bangladesh (PSB); and Filipino Grand Alliance in Bangladesh (FGAB).  Carried away by the joyous chorus presented by the Filipino community, the members of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary, who led the singing during the mass, serenaded the audience with a happy Bengali Christmas song.

The guests were served with light snacks of hot soup, pie and Filipino rice delicacies that concluded the evening event.  

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PHL EMBASSY HOLDS CHORALE CONCERT TO CELEBRATE 2^ND PASKONG PINOY IN MUSCAT

22 December 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Muscat, in collaboration with various Filipino chorale groups in Oman, presented the 2^nd Paskong Pinoy in the Sultanate of Oman.

The event dubbed “2^nd Paskong Pinoy sa Muscat: A Christmas Chorale Concert” showcased the Filipino tradition of songs and music in celebration of Christmas Pilipinas-style.

Seven Filipino chorale groups and the Philippine School Oman, in colorful Christmas outfits, sang various yuletide carols.  Songs in different languages/dialects touched the audience’s hearts and shared the nostalgia of Christmas in the Philippines. Around 450 Filipinos, Omanis, and various other nationals, as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps, gathered to celebrate this joyous festival.

The remarkable event was the second in the Sultanate of Oman and was meant to further cultural understanding between the Filipino community and local Omani people.  The Filipino community aims to wake Paskong Pinoy an annual event in Muscat.

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FILIPINO CHRISTMAS TREE DAZZLES VISITORS IN NEW ZEALAND

24 December 2012 - As part of its cultural diplomacy activities, the Philippine Embassy joined the Christmas Tree Wonderland of the Salvation Army in Johnsonville, Greater Wellington area on December 1 to 3.

Every year, the Salvation Army hosts this community Christmas event where businesses, individuals, embassies and other groups are invited to light up and decorate a Christmas tree to create a fabulous wonderland for the public to enjoy.

Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez displayed her all-Filipino Christmas tree featuring recycled and environment-friendly materials decorated with different Jollibee dolls in international costumes with a “Happy Birthday JESUS” band around each doll, abaca twine, stones, shells and other Filipino décor made by differently abled youth and adults in the Philippines.

The fully lit-up Filipino Christmas Tree stood proudly among several uniquely decorated Christmas trees that dazzled 875 people who stepped into the breathtaking extravaganza of Christmas Tree Wonderland.

According to the Salvation Army organizers, the Filipino Christmas tree was described as amazingly and beautifully different and was among the favourite trees where the young and old alike took photos and admired the decorations and native materials.

Ambassador Benavidez said, “The Christmas Tree Wonderland was a wonderful opportunity for the Philippines to showcase a Filipino Christmas tree complete with native decorations and materials depicting the globally known artistry and creativity of the Filipinos.”

 Ms. Sue Bradley of the Salvation Army Johnsonville Committee thanked the Philippine Embassy for “coming along to decorate a tree for this year’s event. An amazing amount of work was put into all the trees and this was appreciated very much by all who viewed them over the time the event was running.”