PH ENVOY CELEBRATES NATIONAL DAY WITH FILIPINO COMMUNITY, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HELP KABABAYANS OVERSEAS

PRESS RELEASE

WDC-46-2025

16 June 2025

Embassy Press and Information Section

info@phembassy-us.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez welcomed Filipino community leaders, organizers, and changemakers at an Embassy reception in celebration of the 127th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.

Held at the historic Chancery Annex, the reception was an evening filled with cultural pride and reflection of the rich heritage and achievements of the Philippines. The event featured video messages from Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo.

In his keynote address, the Ambassador honored the four million–strong Filipino and Filipino-American community in the United States whose invaluable contributions have been woven into the fabric of American society, saying, “We know that this number reflects more than demographics—it reflects real people with very real stories. Stories of migration and sacrifice, of perseverance and hope.”

He thanked Filipino organizations, advocacy groups, and consular outreach partners for their unwavering support and commitment to the country. “You are living proof of what we can accomplish when we work together as a community,” the Ambassador said.

During the evening, the Ambassador took a somber moment to remember the vulnerable Filipinos who are in need—those who are working in difficult or exploitative conditions, those who are undocumented, and those who are separated from their loved ones. “The Philippine government has not forgotten them,” underscored Ambassador Romualdez. “And let us keep working together with them in mind. We know that there is more to do—and we cannot do it alone.”

The Ambassador reminded the community of the shared duty to take care of one another to ensure that no Filipino is left behind. “More than the fiestas and galas, let us find creative ways to support our kababayan in practical and meaningful ways,” the Ambassador urged. “Every effort to support one another is an act of bayanihan, and an act of nation-building.”

The Philippine Independence Day Reception was a memorable evening that honored the past, celebrated the present, and looked forward to a prosperous future. 

###