PHL EMBASSY ROME OBSERVES NATIONAL FLAG DAY, KICKS-OFF MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY
29 May 2013- The Philippine Embassy in Rome joined the nationwide observance of the "Pambansang Araw ng Watawat" (National Flag Day) on 28 May 2013 through a Flag-rasing ceremony and recitation of the "Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas" (Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag) at the Embassy grounds.
The National Flag Day serves as the kick-off event to commemorate the month-long celebration of the 115th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence in June.
The Philippine Embassy shall join the Filipino community for a Thanksgiving Mass on 2 June at Sta. Pudenziana, seat of Sentro Pilipino Chaplaincy, and the annual fiesta at Piazza Ankara on 9 June, organized by the Philippine Independence Day Association.
The highlight of this year’s celebration is the Official Visit in Italy of Secretary Proceso J. Alcala of the Department of Agriculture (DA), to lead the Philippine delegation to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference on 15-22 June 2013 and to conduct the Agribusiness Investment Fora for Overseas Filipinos in Rome, Milan and Turin on the 16th, 20th and 23rdof June, respectively, to inform our kababayans of agribusiness prospects in the Philippines and to encourage them to invest in agriculture and fisheries.
Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will also join the agribusiness fora in Milan and Turin under the partnership agreement between DOLE and DA in providing programs and/or projects for overseas Filipinos and their families who intend to pursue agribusiness as part of the Reintegration Program for OFWs.
The Philippine Embassy, in collaboration with the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, is also organizing a Travelling Exhibit on the Philippines’ World Heritage Sites featuring the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras and its Twinning Programme of Cooperation with Cinque Terre of Italy, which will be mounted at the FAO Headquarters on 15-22 June 2013. The exhibit, which is part of the yearlong commemoration of the 65th anniversary of Philippine-Italian Diplomatic Relations as well as a campaign for the Philippine candidature to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, will be inaugurated by Secretary Proceso Alcala together with Dr. Virginia Miralao, Secretary General of UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines and FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva.
