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PHL CONSULATE GENERAL IN MILAN JOINS CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PEÑAFRANCIA

23 September 2015 - A colorful fluvial procession was held in honor of the Lady of Peñafrancia on September 19 at the Naviglio Grande in Milan, organized by Bicol Saro Association of Milan in celebration  of the association’s 13^th Anniversary.

A fiesta celebration and holy mass was held on September 20, followed by an oath-taking of the newly elected officers of the organization which was conducted by Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro.

On the same day, the Bicolnon Association also celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of Peñafrancia with a holy mass followed by a grand banquet featuring authentic Bicolano cuisine at the Oratorio di Santa Maria del Carmine Church.

In the Philippines, the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is celebrated on the third Saturday of September in Naga City, Bicol.  All roads and routes will lead to Naga City in Camarines Sur where millions of Bicolanos flock to the city to honor the Virgin of Peñafrancia, miraculous patroness of the Bicol Region. The annual celebration in Italy shows the strong faith and loyalty of the Bicolanos to their Heavenly Mother.

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PHL CONSULATE GENERAL IN MILAN ADVOCATES SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF FILIPINOS IN ITALY

23 September 2015 - A forum on migration and development was held at the Philippine Consulate General in Milan on September 17 conducted by Ms. Estrella Mai Dizon-Añonuevo, Executive Director of Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiative Inc. The meeting was attended by Filipino leaders from different associations, representing their hometowns such as Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Tarlac, Bicol, Cebu, Ilocos, Iloilo, and Laguna.

Philippine Consul General to Milan Marichu Mauro, in her welcome remarks, underscored the shared vision with Atikha of providing jobs and alternative sources of income in order to help not only the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) but also their families in Italy and in the Philippines. 

The meeting aimed to introduce Atikha and its projects on migration and development as well as its advocacy in promoting financial education and investment mobilization towards local economic development.

Specific topics and issues about migration, investments, and entrepreneurship were discussed during the seminar. The seminar concluded with a shared discussion of ideas and opinions about possible areas of engagement with the Filipino communities in Milan.

Atikha is a non-government organization that provides economic and social services to overseas Filipinos and their families in the Philippines. The organization aims to help address the social cost of migration and tap the development potential of migration.

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LECTURE ON PHL TRADITIONAL CHANTS AND LULLABIES HELD IN MILAN

19 August 2015 – National Commision for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman Prof. Felipe De Leon Jr. conducted a special lecture in Milan on August 16 to give the visitors of the Alma Mater multimedia installation a clearer and better understanding of Filipino indigenous culture, and on strengthening cultural roles and practices through chants and lullabies.

Left photo: NCCA Chair Prof. Felipe De Leon, Jr. delivers a lecture on Philippine culture, highlighting chants and lullabies.; Right photo: Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro and NCCA Chair Prof. Felipe De Leon, Jr. with the T’boli women.

Alma Mater is Yuval Avital’s interpretation of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Il Terzo Paradiso (The Third Paradise) and highlights the T’boli chants and lullabies held on August 15 to 16 in Milan.

“I am truly grateful to Mr. Avital for giving the Philippines this opportunity to be featured in his Alma Mater as it exposed the richness of Filipino culture to its audience, shedding a positive light on Filipino identity here in Italy,” PhilippineConsul General Marichu Mauro said.

“I am also thankful to Professor Felipe De Leon and the NCCA for their continuing support of the Philippine Consulate General’s cultural projects,” she added.

The Consul General also congratulated the T’boli women and the Milan-based grandmothers who participated in the event. She remarked on how it was wonderful to see these beautiful, learned women represent the best of Filipino culture in Italy.

The Philippine component of Alma Mater was made possible by the support of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Philippine Social Security System and Pag-IBIG Fund.