29 June 2018—The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur went down memory lane as it showcased “Old Manila” as the theme of its diplomatic reception to commemorate the 120^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence on June 28 at the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Intercontinental in Kuala Lumpur.

Around 350 guests from the diplomatic corps, Malaysian government officials and businessmen, personalities and select members of the Filipino community were given a glimpse of Manila then through scenery, food and music. 

Malaysian Minister for Transport, The Honorable Anthony Loke Siew Fook, was the event’s Guest of Honor.

In his speech before the guests, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose looked into the past to assess how much the Philippines has come and how Philippine-Malaysia relations have progressed over the years.

“In commemorating our Independence Day, we honor our forefathers who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the liberty and freedom that we now have.  As a highlight of our celebration tonight, we endeavored to show glimpses of the Philippines’ past, including representations of how Filipinos transformed and evolved through the years,” he said.

“As we celebrate tonight with nostalgia, it is also fitting to make an assessment of Philippine-Malaysia bilateral relations.  As an old friend and neighbor, our friendship is deep and longstanding,” Ambassador Jose added.

Breathing more life into the event is a performance by the Philippine-Malaysia Connection, a group of Filipino musicians living and working in Malaysia, who presented a medley of harana and zarzuela songs, as well as a concert of dance hits which brought the attendees to the dance floor. 

Guests feasted on Filipino dishes such as beef lengua, seafood paella and chicken adobo, as well as had a fill of San Miguel Beer.  They also had the opportunity to take home photos of them in front of Calle Crisologo in Vigan as giveaways. END