The United Filipino Community of Pohnpei (UFCP)
The United Filipino Community of Pohnpei (UFCP) spearheaded the celebration of the 116th Philippine Independence last June 15, 2014 at the Etscheit Badminton Complex in Sokehs. Aside from the throng of Filipinos, the said celebration was also attended by the Members of the Diplomatic Community in Pohnpei including Chinese Ambassador & Mrs. Zhang Lianyun, Japanese Ambassador & Mrs. Masaki Sakai, United States Deputy Chief of Mission & Mrs. Michael Ordonez, Australian Consul & Mrs. Neil Young, Spain Honorary Consul Maria Linda Mendez, Pohnpei State Governor John Ehsa, and IOM Country Director and Mrs. Ashley Carl. UFCP, the mother organization of Filipinos in Pohnpei, annually commemorates the Philippine Independence Day.
This year’s theme is “Following the footsteps of great Filipinos towards widespread and permanent change.”
The Program started with the singing of both the FSM and Philippine National Anthem. Mr. Russell Figueras, the President of the UFCP, welcomed everyone who attended the event. Mr. Figueras also thanked and praised the support, hard work, and cooperation of everyone who contributed to the success of the event. He further said: “I challenge each and every one of you to actively support your organization, the UFCP. Let us make good use of our life! Let us not become like a stone wasted on the field or on the side road without becoming a part of any edifice, any structure, or any organization.”
After a sumptuous lunch for everyone, Independence Day Messages from the President of the Philippines, the Vice President, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary, and the Philippine Consul General in Guam were read by UFPC Vice President Roselyn Reyes, TDIP President Ray Varas, AFLIP President Cynthia Delica, and UFCP PRO Dr. Darwin Mauricio respectively. Philippine Honorary Consul to the FSM, Dr. Merlyn Abello Alfonso also delivered her first Philippine Independence Day Message. Consul Alfonso praised the Bayanihan Spirit, the spirit of communal unity, work, and cooperation to achieve a particular goal, which was very evident in the preparations of the said event. Consul Alfonso said “this year has definitely been a standout success and I salute the leaderships of the Filipino Community, especially our mother organization, UFCP. This success was borne out of the unified efforts of our leaders - UFCP President Russell Figueras and all Officers, all the leaders of KBP, STAP, TDIP, and AFLIP.”
She also reiterated the Philippine Government’s gratitude to the FSM Government and all those who extended their help after the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in November. In the end, Consul Alfonso praised and greeted all the fathers in attendance since June 15 was also Father’s Day. The highlight of the celebration was the most awaited Booth and Cultural Dance Contest. In the Booth Contest, the different Filipino Regional Organizations constructed Filipino style huts that showcased the different cuisine, culture, and games in the provinces/regions they represent. Each hut was colorfully introduced and described by the group’s representative. The Samahang Tagalog at iba pa sa Pohnpei (STAP) won the first prize, followed by Katilingbang Bisaya sa Pohnpei (KBP) and Timpuyog Dagiti Ilocano iti Pohnpei (TDIP).
The Cultural Dance Presentations were astounding. The different groups presented different cultural dances from the Philippines. To the delight of the crowd, the different groups merrily and gracefully danced with their colorful costumes. KBP won the best dance presentation, followed by TDIP, STAP, and AFLIP (Association of Filipino Ladies in Pohnpei).
To add more color to the event, the Genesis Staff also performed song and dance numbers. Consul Mendez was joined by Kaselehlie Press Managing Editor Bill Jaynes and Japan Embassy Researcher/ Advisor Hiroku Nobusada in judging the Booth and Cultural Dance Contests. The celebration ended with the Awarding of the winners of the UFCP Sports Fest – Badminton Tournament as well as the drawing of the STAP’s Fundraising Raffle Winner. Dr. Aurelio Espinola of Labtech Guam won the grand prize of $10,000. The said fundraising activity is for the benefit of the STAP/COM-FSM Scholars. All the Filipinos went home with smiles and sense of pride.
No comments:
Post a Comment