The Russian Embassy in Manila recently hosted a state reception celebrating the National Day of Russia on June 14, 2024. The event gathered officials, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of business circles, and the media, among others. The reception was graced by Senate Philippine-Russian Friendship Association President Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel and Apostolic Nuncio Charles John Brown, along with the Moscow City Government visiting delegation as special guests.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Marat Pavlov of the Russian Embassy emphasized the recent progress in building mutually beneficial cooperation with the Philippines across a broad range of areas: trade and economy, culture and education, inter-regional and inter-parliamentary ties, and people-to-people exchanges.
The guest of honor, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Antonio Morales, confirmed in his speech the rich traditions of Russia-Philippines relations and the openness to developing pragmatic collaboration between the two countries.
Both speakers also underlined the significance of the forthcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026.
The state reception was marked by a rich cultural and entertainment program with the support of the government of Moscow.
The highlight of the night was the fiery folk performance by the Moscow Cossack Chorus. The audience was able to immerse themselves in the Russian music culture through an interactive show that included some of the most celebrated compositions.
As a special treat, two famous Moscow chefs conducted a master class on Russian cuisine, presenting several rare delicacies.
