Press Release
PR No. ETA- 01- 2022
Jeddah PCG commemorates 125th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
JEDDAH, 2 January 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (Jeddah PCG), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in commemoration of the 125th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, held a flag-raising and wreath-laying activity on 30 December 2021, Thursday. Consulate personnel and their dependents were in attendance during the activity.
Consulate personnel, led by Consul General Edgar Tomas Auxilian, singing the Philippine national anthem
Wreath-laying ceremony led by Consul General Edgar Tomas Auxilian and Vice-Consul Lemuel Lopez
Jeddah PCG personnel recite the “Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas”
Consul General Edgar Tomas Auxilian urging the personnel to serve the public with excellence and integrity
The Rizal Day celebration started with Christian and Muslim prayers, which was followed by the singing of the Philippine National Anthem and the recitation of the “Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watapat ng Pilipinas”. Afterwhich, Consulate officers led a floral offering to the national hero. The program also included an overview of the celebration of Rizal Day at the Consulate by Vice-Consul Alfred Kristoffer Guiang, a reading of Rizal’s poem “Sa Kabataang Pilipino” by personnel’s dependents, a song number by siblings Ms. Mary Elizabeth Janina Auxilian and Ms. Sofia Marie Vanessa Auxilian, a short lecture on the life of Dr. Jose Rizal by Vice-Consul Jeremiah Attento, and folk dance number by the Jeddah PCG Folk Dance Troupe.
Personnel’s children reading one of Rizal’s poem “Sa Kabataang Pilipino”
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Janina Auxilian and Ms. Sofia Marie Vanessa Auxilian sing a
modern “hero-inspired” Filipino song
Consul General Edgar Tomas Q. Auxilian, in his inspirational message, urged the personnel to draw inspiration from Dr. Rizal in upholding truth, nationalism and integrity, and to serve the country through the delivery of excellent public service. He also urged the personnel to courageously face challenges posed by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the recent calamity that struck the Philippines. “Sa panahon ngayon ng patuloy na pagsalanta ng COVID-19, tayo ay humaharap pa rin sa panganib na patuloy na idinudulot ng pandemya, lalo at laging may lumalabas na new variants at mutations ng virus. Ngunit huwag tayong magmukmok, malugmok at mawalan ng pag-asa.”
Vice-Consul Lemuel C. Lopez and Ms. Lalaine Lopez performing a folk dance during the program.
The Jeddah PCG Folk Dance Troupe dancing to the “Tinikling”
“Nawa’y magsilbing pagpapa-alala si Rizal na mayroong pag-asa sa bawat pagsubok at panganib na ating kinakaharap. Magsilbi din sanang inspirasyon ang katapangan ni upang tayo ay buong tapang na makabangon mula sa dagok na dulot ng pandemya, at ng iba pang mga sakuna kagaya ng bagyong “Odette” na tumama sa ating bansa ilang araw lamang bago ang Pasko,” Consul General Auxilian added.
Vice-Consul Alfred Kristoffer Guiang gives an overview of the Consulate’s celebration of Rizal Day.
Vice-Consul Jeremiah Attento gives a short lecture on the life of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
The theme of this year’s Rizal Day celebration is “Rizal: Para sa Agham, Katotohanan, at Buhay (Rizal for Science, Truth and Life).”–END-
