Dutch Pinoys celebrate Independence Day on sad note

By Loui Galicia, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

06/12/2009 11:35 AM


Thousands of Filipinos participated in the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in Haarlem, The Netherlands last June 6.
The celebration was a tremendous success as it was attended by more than 5,000 Filipinos from different parts of Holland and even some from Belgium.
Saturday’s event almost did not take place as members of a group which had organized the yearly Philippine Independence Day celebration since 1988 had a falling out. But this paved the way for a new group called Kalayaan Fiesta Foundation The Netherlands (KFFN) to be formed.
The KFFN was born to continue the event that was initially announced as cancelled last April.
The KFFN was still able to deliver despite having only a month to prepare for the biggest picnic gathering of Filipinos in The Netherlands.
The Spaarnwoude Park venue was immediately transformed into a huge bazaar with huge tents that served as hangouts for families and friends as well as stalls set up to sell Pinoy food, goods, bags, clothes and jewelries among others.
Every Pinoy who went around the huge park finished the tour carrying several shopping bags. All Filipino and foreign guests of all ages were also kept busy and entertained by the seven-hour non-stop musical program, thanks to the organizers who toiled hard at producing a high-class and well-rehearsed show.
But as enjoyable and perfect as it may sound, all the success and joy at the event have been overshadowed by the deep sadness of Filipinos as it is the last Independence Day celebration of Ambassador Romeo Arguelles in The Netherlands. Arguelles is leaving next month.
Even the mayor of Haarlemmerliede and Spaarnwoude stayed the whole day at the celebration to salute the great envoy loved by the Pinoys in Holland.
“This morning I especially came early with my official things to welcome the ambassador because I knew that it was his last time and he was always very much involved in coming here and involved in the personal problems if there are any of his people. I don’t know him, let’s say his political ambassadorship but I know what he means to the people,” H.B. Bruijn told Balitang Europe.
Many still cannot accept the reality that Arguelles, who is dubbed as the “father” of the Pinoys in The Netherlands, is already leaving.
President Arroyo’s announcement in April about the appointment of Gen. Cardozo Luna as the new envoy to The Netherlands came as a surprise to the Dutch Pinoys.
“Talagang nakakalungkot ang pag-alis ni ambassador. Unang-una parang ama na namin yan. During the 90s, yung first term niya dito as an ambassador, kami na ang magkakasama. Bumalik siya ulit at talagang nakakalungkot at pagalis niya medyo biglaan. Ayon ang mas nakakalungkot dahil biglaang napabalita na aalis siya,” businessman Ronald Gavino, who is very close to Arguelles, said.
For seven years, Arguelles has contributed a lot to uniting the Pinoy communities in The Netherlands as well as promoting Filipino culture to the Dutch community.
“He's been a friend to all of us. He’s been very visible in all our activities. a great supporter of the Philippine community here in the Netherlands, he brought culture closer to the Filipinos here,” Ricky Tuazon of the Dutch-Philippine Association said.
For his part, Arguelles just hopes that he has served his “children” well in all his seven years in Holland.
“Palagay ko naman na nakatulong din ako at nakasilbi sa mga kababayan natin. Sa aming trabaho ang importanteng sinasabi ko sa staff ko ay ang public service is what it says, public service. Na ang ating intindihin ay kung paano natin pagsisilbihan ang publiko rather na ang publiko ang magsisilbi sa atin,” Arguelles said.
Arguelles is so endeared to the Dutch Pinoys that as a salute they awarded him a plaque of appreciation for his long years of untiring work for the community.
Arguelles has always been present in all events of the Pinoy communities and it is not uncommon to see him in three different events in one day even if they are held in different towns that are hours away from each other.
Indeed Arguelles is the Dutch Pinoys’ champion.
As highlight of the Independence Day cum farewell event, the Pinoys surprised Arguelles with the song “You are a champion, Mr. Ambassador…cause you are a champion of Pinoys.”
“No other song can accurately capture the sentiments and feelings of the Pinoys,” KFFN Supervisory Board Chairman Jun Ortega said. Ortega rewrote the lyrics of the original “We are the Champion” song

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

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