XIAMEN PCG CELEBRATES NATIONAL HERITAGE MONTH
MGA KUWENTO NG PAMANA: BAHAGINAN SA XIAMEN
Xiamen --- Taking advantage of the respite from visa issuances as brought about by the CoVid-19 pandemic, the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen celebrated National Heritage Month by holding a series of Presentations through the month of May sharing “Mga Kuwento ng Pamana” from their own birthplace, hometown or places with whom they have a strong relation.
PCG Xiamen personnel took turns in presenting the history, touristic places and other significant events or information concerning their places of origin, spiced with snippets of their personal history/accounts related to the place being presented. The following places were explored:
- Aklan
- Bicol (Tabaco & Legazpi)
- Bulacan
- Catanduanes
- La Trinidad
- Las Pinas
- Manila
- Negros Occidental (Murcia)
- Pasay
- Quezon City
The presentations became an opportunity for PCG Xiamen members (including the local hires) to take a glimpse of various places in the Philippines and be proud of its history, its beauty and other factors which contributed to the narrator’s well-being and development. Filipino personnel of the Post re-affirmed their love for country and expressed a bolder desire to nurture the Philippines and its people especially in the current pandemic crisis.
The event was jumpstarted by a Presentation about the Philippines rendered by Acting Head of Post Elaine Mae V. Laruan-Hernandez, particularly to the six (6) Chinese local hires of the Post, in the interest of familiarizing them with the country they work for and helping them understand the people they work with. The local hires, most of whom have already visited the Philippines, appreciated the effort and expressed the hope to be able to revisit the Philippines someday.
Mr. Ianne Mher Hernandez, a former teacher of Filipino language at the Ateneo de Manila High School, rendered a Presentation about the language. He presented salient points about the language and emphasized the importance of a Filipino knowing his own language (Wag kang Maging Magaling na Ewan). According to him, we cannot be called masters if we lack the understanding of our own identity, culture, language and all.
The activity was carried out pursuant to President Proclamation No. 439 declaring May as the National Heritage Month (NHM), in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect and love for the legacies of Filipino cultural history. The year 2020’s theme, “Mga Kuwentong Pamana” (Stories of Heritage) aimed to highlight the important role of sharing knowledge, experiences and stories of different aspects of Filipino Heritage in fostering cultural learning and appreciation within Filipino society.
For more information, visit www.dfa.gov.ph, www.facebook.com/dfaphl, and @dfaphl on Twitter. END
