Today, I attended the Philippine Independence Day celebration at Bunjil Place in Narre Warren. The event started with a flag-raising ceremony, which was a proud and meaningful moment for the Filipino community.

You may be wondering what these flags were. Well, the first on the left is the Philippine Flag, the second is the Aboriginal Flag and the third and fourth are Australian flags. The third is an Australian Civil Aviation Ensign while the last one is the Australian National Flag.

There were also several song and dance performances throughout the celebration. One of the highlights was watching school children perform traditional Filipino folk dances. Dressed in colourful costumes, they danced with enthusiasm and confidence, proudly showcasing the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines. Their performances were a joy to watch and were warmly received by the audience.

With the nostalgic tune of Mamang Sorbetero (“The Ice Cream Man”) by Celeste Legaspi playing in the background, an ice cream trolley made its way into the crowd, offering free ice cream to anyone who wanted one.

The song brought back memories of the traditional Filipino ice cream vendor who roams the streets with his colourful cart. It was a lovely touch to the celebration, although the timing was not ideal. The weather was cold and windy, so not many people were keen on having ice cream. Still, it brought smiles to everyone’s faces and added a fun dose of Filipino nostalgia to the day.

Happy Independence Day, Philippines! 🇵🇭

The Philippines celebrates its Independence Day today, June 12, commemorating the historic 1898 declaration of freedom from Spanish rule.

Congratulations as well to Australian Filipino Community Services on celebrating 35 years of service and dedication to the Filipino-Australian community. (Especially for seniors like me).