25 June 2023- The Philippine Embassy in Egypt hosted a reception for members of the diplomatic community, international organizations, Egyptian government officials as well as private and business partners to celebrate the 126th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
Below is the speech delivered by Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago:
Good evening distinguished guests, to our Guest of Honor H.E. Amb. Ahmed Shahin, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the diplomatic community, friends, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight.
We are honored for your kind presence as we celebrate the 126th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, under the theme “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan” (Freedom. Future. History).
On 12 June 1898, revolutionary general Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine Independence. That day was the first time the Philippine flag was displayed, and the national anthem was played.
We finally achieved our full independence on 04 July 1946, and we celebrated that day as our national day until 1962 when former President Macapagal through a presidential proclamation reverted back to 12 June.
The Philippine Embassy in Cairo was the first Philippine mission to be established in the Middle East and Africa. With Egypt, we enjoy exceptional diplomatic and political relations. Both Egypt and the Philippines are founding members of the UN, and we share the same positions in various multilateral organizations. We have the same aspirations for our people, and aim to achieve peace and prosperity for our nation.
Based on this foundation, we are fully committed to push forward our bilateral relations in various fields, and I thank Ambassador Shahin in the MFA and all others in the Egyptian government and society for collaborating with us to reach these goals.
I must take this opportunity to thank the Egyptian government for its continuous humanitarian positions, especially during the recent conflicts in Sudan and Gaza. Egypt has helped the Philippines evacuate Filipinos from Sudan and Gaza into safety, just as Egypt continues to extend help and hospitality to everyone.
For decades, Muslim Filipinos have studied in Al-Azhar University. There are about 300 current students studying in Al-Azhar.
Before COVID, our economic growth rate was consistently over 6%. And I am happy to announce that the Philippine economy is back on track and enjoys economic growth that is expected to increase by an average of 5.9% from this year until 2026 and hopefully beyond.
As a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN, the Philippines takes pride as ASEAN is expected to be the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030. Our regional association has a combined GDP of approximately $3.7 trillion with over 670 million people in population size, making us the third-largest economy in Asia and the fifth largest in the world.
I invite you all to visit the Philippines to experience its natural wonders, breathtaking landscapes, and warm-hearted people. We take pride in our unique heritage and vibrant culture, a blend of indigenous traditions and influences from various civilizations that have shaped our identity. In 2023, the Philippines was awarded with four major tourism recognitions from the prestigious World Travel Awards. We defended our title as the World’s Leading Dive Destination and the World’s Leading Beach Destination.
Distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you once again for joining us as we celebrate Philippines’ Freedom, Future and History.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! (Long live the Philippines).
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