PH EMBASSY IN NAIROBI COMMEMORATES RIZAL DAY 2022

Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, Maria Rosanna O. Josue (leftmost) delivers her brief remarks on the observance of the 126^th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal. 

NAIROBI, 29 December 2022 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya commemorated the 126th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal through a simple ceremony held on 29 December 2022 at the Embassy grounds.

Reflecting on this year’s theme “Rizal: Alaalang Iningatan, Yaman Ngayon ng Bayan” (“Rizal: Preserved Memories Treasured Today by the Nation”), Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, Maria Rosanna O. Josue gave a brief message that emphasized the importance of knowing and respecting the country’s history. She also stressed that the legacies of heroes such as Dr. Jose Rizal, which contributed to nation-building, must be treasured and must provide an inspiration to all Filipinos, wherever in the world they may be.

Early this year, the Embassy donated English-translated copies of Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to the Kenyan National Library Service (KNLS) to share his life and works with Kenyan readers.

In 1898, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo decreed the designation of the 30^th of December, the anniversary of Rizal’s execution by firing squad in Bagumbayan in Manila in 1896, as a national day of mourning to honor Rizal and other Filipino patriots who resisted the three centuries of Spanish rule. In 1902, the Philippine Commission under the American colonial period passed Act. No. 345, which declared the 30^th of December as an official holiday in the Philippines. Since then, Filipinos annually observe Rizal Day to commemorate the life and legacy of one of the country’s most revered national heroes. END

Nairobi PE personnel started the commemoration of Rizal Day 2022 with a flag-raising ceremony.

FILIPINO COMMUNITY CELEBRATES PASKONG PINOY SA KENYA 2022

Nairobi PE personnel and the Filipino community in Kenya’s family photo after the celebration of Paskong Pinoy Sa Kenya 2022.

NAIROBI, 11 December 2022 –  The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi hosted Paskong Pinoy sa Kenya 2022  for the Filipino community in Kenya on 11 December 2022.

The event, the first such gathering since the pandemic, was co-organized by the Embassy with Filcom Kenya, an organization of Filipinos based in the country.

In her welcome remarks, Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang said that through the event, the Embassy and Filcom Kenya hoped to bring some of the warmth, fun, and joy of Christmas as celebrated in the Philippines to the Filipino community in Kenya.

She also thanked the Filipino community for their consistent support for the activities of the Embassy throughout the year. 

The program started with a thanksgiving mass celebrated by Fr. Norman Labutan.  This was followed by a salu-salo of favorite Filipino delicacies, parlor games, dance performances, raffle draws and a charity drive for the Parish of Holy Family of Kaaleng in the Diocese of Lodwar, Turkana. The guests also enjoyed an open mic karaoke session, where they sang some holiday and OPM tunes. END. 

Fr. Norman Labutan (center) was joined by Fr. Mark Anthony Maambong and Fr. Benedict Musyoki during the mass celebration

Ambassador Tang as she delivers her welcome remarks

“Pasko Na Sinta Ko” dance performance by Bet and Debbie of Academy of Dance and Art (top-left), Christmas Zumba by the Filipino community (top-right), two teams battle it out at the “Flip Tac Toe” game (bottom-left), and Ms. Christina Lopez (second from bottom-right photo), one of the lucky winners of the cash prize during the raffle draw