Embassy Celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan with Filipino WWII Veterans & Filipino Community Leaders

 

In celebration of the “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor) which commemorates the courageous stand of Filipino and American soldiers and the fall of Bataan in World War II, the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. conducted a flag raising ceremony to kick off a series of activities to be conducted throughout the day to honor and pay tribute to the sacrifices and services of the Filipino WWII veterans and to manifest continued support for the struggle to obtain recognition and equity in benefits for the Filipino WWII veterans.

Embassy officials and personnel were joined by Filipino WWII veterans, leaders and representatives of the Filipino American community, and friends and supporters of the Filipino WWII veterans at the flag raising ceremony. The flag raising ceremony was followed by a forum and breakfast at the Embassy, after which an Equity March was conducted in Capitol Hill. The celebration of the “Araw ng Kagitingan” was capped off with a wreath-laying ceremony at the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. and a reception at the Embassy with Representative Bob Filner as the guest of honor.

PHOTO: (Upper left) Flag raising ceremony at the Philippine Embassy grounds (Upper right) Veterans and Filipino community leaders and representatives at the forum held after the flag raising ceremony (Lower left) Minister Carlos Sorreta reads Ambassador Willy C. Gaa’s remarks in celebration of the “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Lower right) Embassy officials and leaders of the Filipino American community pose for a group photo after the forum and breakfast held at the Philippine Embassy.