Philippine Embassy Officers and Staff Commemorate 153rd Birth Day of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal
19 June 2014, Tokyo – The Officers and Staff of the Philippine Embassy, led by Mr. Gilberto G.B. Asuque, Chargé d’ Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission, commemorated on 19 June 2014 the 153rd birth anniversary of the National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal with a floral offering and a reflection on the relevance of Dr. Rizal’s courage and patriotism in the current challenges of the Philippine Foreign Service.
The officers and staff began the commemoration at the Embassy’s Nampedai-cho compound in Shibuya-ku with the signing of the Philippine National Anthem followed by the laying of a flower bouquet by CDA Asuque at the bust of Dr. Rizal (photos below).
In his greetings, CDA Asuque stressed to the colleagues in the Embassy the importance of the annual commemoration of the birth anniversary of Dr. Rizal as the means to constantly remind civil servants of the courage, patriotism, commitment to the ideals of democracy and selfless dedication to the promotion of the national interest, values that the National Hero fought for the Nation and brought to the present generation of Filipinos. These values would provide the guiding principles on which the Philippine Foreign Service officers and staff perform their duties in their place of assignment.
Ms. Andrea Leycano, FSO III and Vice Consul (photo left, below) read a passage in one of the literary works of Dr. Rizal and shared her reflections on the significance of the message in the work and current challenges of the Philippine Foreign Service. The event was capped with a photo of the officers and staff before the bust of Dr. Rizal.
