Romania celebrates National Day

The Embassy of Romania in the Philippines organized the National Day of Romania reception on Nov. 27, 2024 at Fairmont Hotel Makati. The event brought together high-level representatives from the government of the Philippines, the diplomatic and consular corps, the business sector, academe, civil society, the Romanian community, and distinguished friends of Romania in the country.

The Ambassador of Romania, Răduța Dana Matache, was joined on the stage by the Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Archbishop Charles Brown, dean of the Diplomatic Corps, and later on, by Grand Benedicto, the honorary Consul of Romania in Cebu.
The ceremony commenced with joint rendition of the Philippine and Romanian national anthems by Filipino Soprano Marielle Tuason and the Consul of the Embassy of Romania, Daniela Coman.

Ambassador Matache commenced her speech by expressing her gratitude to Filipinos for their kindness and support, notably in the Filipino language, which was warmly received by the guests. She highlighted the significant milestones in the dynamic relations between Romania and the Philippines in 2024, including the re-opening of the Philippine embassy in Bucharest, the accreditation of Noel Servigon as the Philippine Ambassador to Romania, the appointment of Simon Andreas Maurer as honorary consul of the Philippines in Braşov, the conferment of the Romanian National Order for Merit, in the rank of Commander, to Delia Domingo Albert, former secretary of Foreign Affairs, and the successful political, economic and cultural diplomacy initiatives of the embassy, which came to fruition in 2024, with the support from the Filipino authorities and honorary consuls of Romania. 

She also elaborated on developments in Romania, including the ongoing elections. She underscored the country’s unwavering support for the rules-based international order and respect for international law, including UNCLOS. The Ambassador expressed the hope that both the Black Sea and the Indo-Pacific regions continue to be areas of stability and cooperation. She took the opportunity to thank the embassy’s partners for their invaluable support to the event.

She concluded her speech with a toast in honor of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the First Lady Mme. Louise Araneta Marcos, and the Filipino people.

Hon. Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, on behalf of the DFA, extended her warmest greetings to Romania while highlighting the deepening of bilateral relations between the two countries, which continue to flourish since their establishment in 1972. She illustrated the productive engagements between the two countries, including the high-level meetings between the Enrique Manalo, secretary of Foreign Affairs, and his counterpart, Luminiţa Odobescu, minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as last year’s bilateral political consultations in Bucharest, reaffirming the commitment of the Philippines in strengthening ties with Romania in all areas of relations. Another toast was raised, this time in honor of the President and Prime Minister of Romania. 

The second part of the ceremony included a series of musical presentations by the very talented young students of the Sisters of Mary School-Adlas Boys’ Chorale, Marielle Tuason with her soulful rendition of the Romanian song “Copacul” (The Tree), and the wonderful three-part performance of Romanian soprano Janina Lorelei.

The night ended with a raffle led by William Korbl, the deputy head of Mission of the Embassy of Romania, with the prizes comprised of premium Romanian wines courtesy of Global Connecting People, traditional Romanian blouses from Arinda Tailor, Gerovital anti-aging creams, and a voucher from Lemuria Gourmet Restaurant offered by Brumms Quality Wines, Inc.

The curated photo display of picturesque Romanian scenery also provided a glimpse of the majestic beauty and rich cultural heritage of the country.