Philippine Consulate marks Independence Day with moment of silence for earthquake victims

Philippine Consul General Edna May G. Lazaro [Photo: Ricaela Diputado]

The Philippine Consulate General in Macau commemorated the 128th anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence yesterday at a reception held at Artyzen Grand Lapa, drawing diplomats and community leaders to honor the nation’s heritage while acknowledging recent tragedy.

Before the main program began, guests were asked to observe a moment of silence for victims of a recent earthquake that struck Mindanao, the southern region of the Philippines.

“Today as we gather to honor our nation’s heritage, we also keep the people of the Philippines in our thoughts following the recent earthquake in Mindanao,” the event host announced. “As we celebrate our history, the true strength of the Filipino spirit, our Bayanihan, is currently being tested on the ground.”

“Bayanihan,” a Tagalog word, is used to describe community spirit and collective cooperation.

Independence Day marked a day early to avoid scheduling conflict

Philippine Consul General Edna May G. Lazaro explained that the reception was held on June 11 rather than June 12, the actual date of independence proclaimed in Kawit, Cavite, in 1898, to avoid clashing with the Philippine consulate’s event in Hong Kong.

“There are only four consulates here in Macau: Portugal, Philippines, Mozambique and Angola,” Lazaro said. “In Hong Kong, there are many more. So we figured we celebrate it on June 11.”

Despite the small diplomatic corps, Lazaro emphasized the importance of ASEAN centrality in her engagements. She regularly attends events hosted by Vietnamese, Myanmar, Nepali and Indian communities in Macau.

“It’s very important for us to celebrate this,” she said. “All countries in the world who are independent – it’s very special. It’s the highlight of your activities abroad.”

The Consulate said it fully supports Macau’s “1+4” economic diversification strategy, which seeks to enrich tourism while growing sectors such as health, modern finance, high technology and MICE.

In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Lazaro explained that planning for the independence celebration begins as early as January.

“It takes half a year or more than a year of planning because we have to follow rules and procurement,” she said. “We put it in our budget. It’s a whole production. It’s really a whole production because it’s the highlight of our activities for the whole year.”

Future initiatives focused on youth and workers

Looking ahead, Lazaro revealed plans to organize a walking tour for young Filipinos tracing places in Macau visited by national hero José Rizal. Rizal, she noted, mentioned a Macanese restaurant in Binondo, “Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto,” in his novel El Filibusterismo.

“We want to introduce to the kids the significance, to remind them that our relations with Macau go a long way back,” she said.

In her remarks, Lazaro noted that as of late last year, nearly 32,000 Filipino non-resident workers reside in Macau, accounting for 17% of the total non-resident workforce. These individuals work across hospitality, corporate, creative sectors and household services.

Regarding migrant workers, the Consul General noted that ongoing training workshops include nail art, bartending, Cantonese language classes, therapy sessions and haircutting. These programs aim to help workers upgrade their skills or prepare for eventual return to the Philippines with alternative sources of income.

“The successes of the past year do not represent a destination, but the beautiful point of departure,” the event’s remarks concluded. “Together, the Philippines and Macau will build a future characterized by mutual prosperity, shared growth and enduring harmony.”