A special Thanksgiving Mass in Filipino to commemorate the 116th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence was held at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (COLA) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 08 June 2014.

Philippine Embassy officials and staff led by H.E. Ambassador Nestor Z. Ochoa and Madame Mayie E. Ochoa attended the special mass celebrated by Rt. Rev. Cornelius Sim, Vicar Apostolic of Brunei Darussalam.

In his message to members of the Filipino Community, Ambassador Ochoa reflected on the concept of freedom:

•             freedom from the tyranny of colonial rule, proclaimed by General Emilio Aguinaldo on 12 June 1898 and which is being commemorated every year and

•             freedom from poverty and social ills, which are problems being addressed by the Aquino administration through economic and social reforms, the peace process in southern Philippines, and other initiatives.

Ambassador Ochoa cited some of the accomplishments of the Aquino administration such as the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the 7.2% all-time high growth of the Philippine economy in 2013, the USD 25 billion remittance from overseas Filipinos last year, and the rise to the 59th position of the Philippines in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Rankings, all of which have helped set our countrymen free from hunger and unemployment.

The Ambassador also invited the members of the Filipino Community to register for overseas voting at the Embassy to ensure they can exercise their right to vote in the May 2016 National Elections.

After the mass, a breakfast get-together, sponsored by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)-Brunei and featuring a typical Philippine breakfast fare, was held at the Parish Hall for Embassy personnel and members of the Filipino community in Brunei Darussalam. More than 500 people attended the mass and joined the breakfast. END