MANILA, Philippines — In 2003, I authored and sponsored a measure declaring June 30th of every year as the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day as a tribute to the Siege of Baler, a heroic event between our nations more than a hundred years ago that we should not allow to become a mere historical footnote.
It is a long overdue commemoration of an exceptional display of gallantry and magnanimity between Filipinos and Spanish soldiers in war, the antithesis of 333 years of oppression and hostility. It was also a remarkable way to round up the patriotic month of June during which we celebrate our Independence Day and the birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.
This unique gesture has not gone unnoticed in Spain. Indeed, during my recent visit there barely two weeks ago, the Spanish officials and diplomats I met were grateful for our country's continuing efforts to forge stronger economic, cultural, and historic ties – and were keen to reciprocate. They were enthusiastic about Sentro Rizal, our very own cultural institution, similar to their Instituto Cervantes, whose first branch we opened in Madrid.
The city officials of Cadiz, led by their Mayor Teofila Martinez, invited me to the bicentenary of their Constitution of 1812 on March 19 next year. Perhaps unbeknown to many, three Filipinos were involved in crafting Spain's first constitution: Don Ventura de los Reyes, who signed it as the official Filipino delegate, and his two deputies Pedro Perez de Tagle and Dr. Jose Manuel Couto.
Diario de Cadiz, one of the country's four oldest papers, and Diario de Sevilla interviewed me about how we are reviving relations through the promotion of the Spanish language, facilitating exchanges for education, training, and sports, and partnering in energy and tourism.
Several Spanish nationals will join us in my hometown of Baler for the national celebration of the Phil-Span. Two of them are descendants of Spanish soldiers who held fort at the Church of Baler during the siege: Honorary Consul Jose Ignacio Bidon and film writer-director Jesus Valbuena Garcia. Both have strived to preserve our cultural linkages – Jose Bidon championed football cooperation between Andalucia and the Philippine Football Federation while Jesus Valbuena made the television documentary Los Hijos de Baler and the full-length film Returning to the Siege of Baler.
Spain's new Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Manuel Domecq is the leading Spanish official who will take part in the Phil-Span, along with Defense Attache Pedro Rolan, education adviser Javier Menendez, and Instituto Cervantes Director Jose Rodriguez.
Spain's private sector will be represented by officials from Cemex, the world's largest building materials supplier: Joaquin Estrada, president of Cemex Spain and Asia; and Pedro Palomino, president of Cemex Philippines.
Last March, the 1st Investment and Business Cooperation Forum was held in Manila through the efforts of our Bureau of Investments and the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX). Alfredo Bonet, Spain's minister for trade, industry, and tourism, said they want the Philippines to be their key partner in Southeast Asia.
Our bilateral trade has been growing over the last five years, with Philippines' exports to Spain reaching R178 million in 2010 while Spain's to Philippines hit R167 million. However, this is still dwarfed by our trade with major partners like the United States, Japan, China, and Singapore. Spain is not even our biggest trading partner in the European Union – it is below the Netherlands and Germany, among a few others.
History is on our side if only we capitalize on it. On June 27, 1898, 54 Spanish soldiers holed up at the Church of Baler in their last stand against the revolution. They endured the 11-month siege, unaware that the war had long ended. When 33 survivors emerged from the church on June 2, 1899, they found not enemies, but sympathetic townspeople of Baler who gave them food, clothing, and medicine. In a final act of benevolence, President Emilio Aguinaldo decreed that they should be treated as friends, not prisoners, guaranteeing their safe passage back to their homeland.
Spain's colonization of the Philippines was fraught with pitfalls but at the end of it, humanity and gallantry, as exemplified by the Siege of Baler, salvaged our ties.
On Thursday, we will celebrate the 9th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day and the 112th anniversary of the Siege of Baler. We will honor, first, our shared history and together look forward to more years of cooperation in education, sports, energy, commerce, tourism, cultural exchange, creative arts, and heritage conservation.
Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/324242/moving-forward
Movers Glendale
Movers Miami Beach
Movers Brisbane
Movers Westwood Lakes
No comments:
Post a Comment