JEDDAH, 10 June 2005 — A show featuring the best in Filipino culture kicked off the Independence Day celebrations at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh last night. Participating in the show were several cultural groups such as Fesscor, FACES, MOWA and Phil POP.

Donation boxes to raise funds for the construction of classrooms in the Philippines were also displayed at the embassy’s multipurpose court by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).

At 9 a.m. today, community members will be treated to an Ati-Atihan exhibition at the embassy grounds by the Grupo It Aklanos (GIA) from Aklan province in the central Philippines.

Scheduled after the show are parlor games such as sack races, feather blowing, palayok, musical chair and pabitin for embassy staff and families.

For those interested, booths will be open for membership with the Pag-IBIG and Social Security System (SSS). The OWWA, or Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, will also issue e-cards.

Music lovers are also invited to join a sing-along-for-a-cause program from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the lobby.

For those who are feeling low, a “Libreng Tawag” service will be made available at the front of the consular office, courtesy of Phone Serve. Free calls to any point in the Philippines will be made available, according to a schedule prepared by the embassy.

For those feeling ill, volunteer doctors and dentists will render free consultations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. also at the lobby, courtesy of the Philippine Guardians.

For art lovers, a photo exhibition will be open at the Mabini Hall, courtesy of Cameraderie.

At the same time, a mini-tournament on darts, table tennis and chess plus fun games will be open to the public at the lobby, with EDSA, AFTTA and RCC in charge.

From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a spelling competition will be held for elementary and high school students from various Philippine schools at the multi-purpose court.

At 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., another cultural show featuring an ebolution of Philippine culture will be held at the multi-purpose court, this time with the SEP, RAGI and MOWA participating.

On Independence Day proper, June 12, the traditional flag-raising ceremony and reading of messages and breakfast will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the multi-purpose court, followed by a dinner reception hosted by the embassy for diplomats at 7 p.m.

Simple but Memorable

In Jeddah, an early morning awarding and flag-raising ceremony, followed by volleyball games and a medical mission, will be held today at the Philippine Consulate General to mark the 107th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence Day.

Consul General Pendosina Lomondot is expected to hand awards to a number of community leaders in the Western Region, from Tabuk to Abha, for rendering services to compatriots, both at home and in the Kingdom.

Administrative Officer Taha Guinomla said Filipinos in the region are invited to attend the festivities, however simple.

While the celebration is not as grand as in the past, he said, the consulate hopes the awards ceremony and medical mission will help make the celebration memorable. Giving out awards is the consulate’s way of appreciating Filipinos who go out of their way to help others, especially those in need, he said.

The volleyball games will feature selected and invited women’s volleyball teams from Jeddah and Makkah.

Teams participating are formed by Filipinos working at Saudi German Hospital, Dr. Erfan & Bagedo Hospital, United Doctors Hospital, Ghassan N. Pharaon Hospital and King Fahd Military Hospital from Jeddah and Hera General Hospital from Makkah.

Filipino doctors, dentists, nurses, and other medical workers are also expected to render free services in a medical and dental mission organized by the Circulo Ilonggo Saudi Arabia (CISA).

CISA President Juliet Roa said the mission will benefit not just stranded or distressed Filipino workers as well as workers and their dependents who are not amply covered by medical insurance provided by their employers. “Patients in need of outright medication will be given medicines and vitamins depending on their case,” she said.

Booths are planned in strategic places in the consulate to display Philippine products such as sweets and handicraft.

“Despite the shortened celebration, we still want our kababayans to feel a fiesta atmosphere at the consulate on Friday,” said Guinomla.