Washington D.C. – On June 13, 2025, the Philippine Embassy held one of the most meaningful events of the year to celebrate the 127th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Importantly, this year also marks the 79th year of diplomatic friendship between the Philippines and the U.S.
Filipino Americans, overseas Filipino workers, Filipino community leaders, and embassy staffers gathered together to attend this event. Many attendees dressed up in traditional Filipino attire – ladies in Filipiniana and gentlemen in barong tagalog – which created a vivid presentation of Filipino spirit and national pride.
The event began with the speech from the honorable Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez. Standing in front of the portrait of President Manuel L. Quezon, a revolutionary figure in the nation’s journey to independence, the Ambassador delivered a heartfelt statement to his countrymen.
“This is how emotional I can get about our overseas workers; we will do everything we can; we have committed to help Filipinos everywhere.”
He reaffirmed the mission of the embassy is not only promoting diplomatic relations between the two countries but also serving Filipino nationals.
“It is our shared duty to take care of one another and make sure that no Filipino people, no matter their legal status, should feel forgotten or neglected.”
“The Filipinos are known to be a nation of honest, caring, hardworking, and talented people.”
In his speech, the ambassador also emphasized that one of the priorities of the Philippine embassy at the current moment is to collaborate with the U.S. government to promote the fair treatment of Filipino nationals.
Following the ambassador’s speech, the guests were guided to a lively cultural reception, which featured traditional Filipino cuisine and beverages. Guests greeted each other with their native language – Tagalog. The room was filled with laughs and delightful moments.
The year’s celebration of the Independence Day honored the historic proclamation of freedom from the Spanish colonization. More importantly, this celebration brings together the unity and solidarity of the Filipino community in a broader international arena.