Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao and Madame Getsy Tiglao

The Philippine Embassy marked the 112^th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence with two major, well-attended events in Athens:  a fiesta-type celebration with the Filipino community at the Fokianos basketball court at Zappeio on 06 June 2010 and a Diplomatic Reception for the diplomatic corps at the prestigious King George Palace on 11 June 2010, both in central Athens.

Filipino Community (See Photos in Features Section)

The whole-day celebration with the Filipino community at Zappeio began with the parade of banners of various Filipino community associations in Greece and the singing of the Philippine national anthem. His Excellency Ambassador Rigoberto D.Tiglao led Philippine Embassy officials and delivered the Philippine Independence Day message.

A huge marquee and three big tents covered the venue as protection from the sun and rain.  Athens News, the Philippine Embassy’s communications sponsor for this event, distributed free newspapers and flyers during the event. Coca Cola, Emirates Airlines and the Accredited Community Partners (ACP) served as the major sponsors for the Filipino community event.

The different Filipino organizations showed off their rich and colorful costumes during the parade. Students of the Philippine School in Greece (formerly known as KAPHILCA or Katipunan Philippines Cultural Academy) and representatives of various Filipino organizations performed cultural numbers consisting of songs and dances on the stage specifically built and assembled by the embassy for the cultural presentations.

Known Filipino singer Ms Tina Paner sponsored by Globe Asiatique sang during the occasion.

Over 1,000 people, Filipinos, Greeks and other foreign citizens participated in this year’s Independence Day celebration at Zappeio. (For Photos, see feature page>)

Diplomatic Reception (See Photos at Features Section)

About 350 guests from the diplomatic corps, Greek officialdom and business led by one of Greece’s biggest shipping company Tsakos attended the diplomatic reception hosted by Ambassador Rigoberto D. Tiglao and Mrs. Getsy Tiglao in the grand ballroom of the King George Palace. Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis, Deputy Chief of Protocol Kyriakos Amiridis and the Chief of Police of the Greek parliament Evangelos Agelis led Greek senior officials who attended the embassy’s Diplomatic Reception

The embassy also invited to the reception leaders of the various Filipino community organizations in Greece.

The reception served a combination of western and Filipino cuisine which the embassy’s foreign guests appreciated very much. They partook of the sumptuous feast of native Filipino dishes such as adobo, fried vegetable lumpia, longganisa, barbecue, buchi, siopao, puto and leche flan.

Filipino music played throughout the event and a video presentation on Philippine culture and economy ran for the duration of the reception. Tourism brochures and other information materials were also given to the guests.

Greece’s premier Star Television Channel together with its famous television personality Ilias Psinakis arrived to interview Ambassador Tiglao.

Athens Mayor Nikita Kaklamanis greets the Ambassador

With Greek celebrity Mr. Ilias Psinakis