The Philippine Embassy in Cambodia opened the doors of the new Philippine Chancery in Phnom Penh on 12 June 2016, coinciding with the traditional flag raising ceremony with the Filipino community to mark the 118th Anniversary of Philippine Independence.
Embassy officers and staff led the more than 250 members of the Filipino community in attendance in singing the Philippine national anthem and hoisting of the Philippine flag at the new Chancery, which was acquired by the Philippine Government early this year.
The ceremony was followed by the reading of Independence Day messages from President Benigno S. Aquino III and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jose Rene D. Almendras, by First Secretary and Consul General Myca Fischer and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Monika Limpo, respectively.
Guests, which included members of the recently-launched Cambodia Philippines Alumni Network, were treated to a repertoire of well-loved Filipino songs by the Loboc Children’s Choir, such as “Isang Dugo, Isang Lahi, Isang Musika”, a medley of OPM classics, and a sampling of several Visayan folk songs.
In his message during the event, Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Christopher B. Montero thanked those in the Filipino community who contributed to the renovation of the new Chancery, which used to be the Residence of the former Prime Minister of Cambodia in the late 1990s. "As the Filipino community marks a new beginning in its permanent home in Phnom Penh, our country will also be marking a fresh start, with bright optimism, under an incoming administration of leaders," Ambassador Montero said.
The occasion also marked the handling out of Certificates of Completion to students of Module 2 of the Filipino language class conducted by the Sentro Rizal of Phnom Penh (SRPP).
A breakfast buffet of Filipino favorite dishes and delicacies, such as danggit, tapa, longganisa, adobo, kuchinta, and ensaymada, were served to guests before they were led to a tour of the new Chancery.
Filipinos present during the event expressed pride at having a new permanent home in Cambodia, which is located in the heart of the city's main thoroughfare, and with sufficient security and comfortable facilities.. END
