Filipinos in Dubai celebrate 120th Philippine Independence Day

Dubai - A bigger celebration is slated on Friday with thousands of Filipinos expected to attend at the Dubai World Trade Center.

Philippine Consulate officials and leaders of the Filipino expat community in Dubai marked in simple rites the 120th Philippine Independence Day on Tuesday.
Consul-general Paul Raymund Cortes led the flag-raising ceremony and singing of Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine national anthem, to mark the independence of the Philippines from 333 years of Spanish colonial rule and its proclamation as the first ever republic in Asia in 1898.
A bigger celebration is slated on Friday with thousands of Filipinos expected to attend at the Dubai World Trade Center (Zabeel Hall 1) under the theme 'Independence 2018: Change We Fought For, An Offering To An Abundant Future.'
Addressing leaders of various Filipino organisations and the business community, Cortes said: "Filipinos in Dubai and the Northern Emirates have gone a long way 40 years since the first migrant Filipino professionals chose to harness their potentials in this part of the world."
"Today, many of us represent the best in the various professional fields in the country - healthcare, education, engineering, architecture, hotel and hospitality, sales and marketing, and other industries."
"As we celebrate 120 years of the Philippine nation, I call on my fellow Filipinos to remain steadfast in their ambitions and visions of a brighter and more prosperous future for their families. Your experiences as overseas Filipinos will most certainly prepare you further as you take on the challenges of today's global community," he added.
Filipino expat and 10-year Dubai resident Susan Francisco shared the same sentiments and defined independence as attaining economic freedom.
"Our forefathers sacrificed their lives 120 years ago to boot out the colonizers and now millions of Filipinos go out of our country to look for suitable employment and provide for their families. Our struggle today is in the economic sphere and with strong determination we shall overcome this challenge," Francisco told Khaleej Times.
Meanwhile, a message by President Rodrigo Duterte was read and he exhorted his kababayans (countrymen) to replicate the heroism of their ancestors as the Philippine government battle illegal drugs, corruption and criminality.
"Through the patriotic fervor shown by our forefathers, we have freed ourselves from colonial subjugation and proved to the world that we stand united as the pioneer of republican democracy in Asia. May the solidarity and heroism exhibited by our ancestors fuel our desire to spur meaningful and lasting change in our communities as we collectively battle the social ills of corruption, illegal drugs and criminality that impede our progress as a nation," Duterte said.
"Inspired by the sacrifices of those who have bravely stood before us, may we also find the courage to defend our cherished democratic ideals now and in the years to come," he added.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

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