This is a lightly edited address given by Consul General of the Philippines to Jamaica, Everoy Chin, in St Andrew last week, on the occasion of the 117th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Chin was the guest speaker at the event.

IT gives me great joy to be here with you, the members of the Filipino community in Jamaica, commemorating the 117th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence from Spanish colonial rule.

We have chosen this time and place to remember the courageous patriots, whose struggles and sacrifices culminated in the raising of the Philippine flag, signalling the birth of the new nation.

The theme of this year’s celebration, which took place in the Philippines on June 12, was “Independence 2015: Triumphs Through Reforms, Within Nation’s Reach.” The choice of theme was most appropriate. It speaks to the strides that have been made over the years, despite the challenges encountered in the building of your great nation — one that has earned respect and admiration from the rest of the world.

You are the inheritors of the legacy of freedom bequeathed by your heroic forefathers and foremothers. And as you stand on their shoulders today, you have good reason to be proud of your country’s achievements so far, and those that are clearly within reach.

International confidence in the great potential of the Philippines is growing. The progress that has been made, especially on the economic front, is indisputable. I know that a great deal of credit must be given to the innate characteristics of the people of the Philippines. As your representative here, I have never ceased to be amazed by the strengths of Filipinos, consistently demonstrated by those of you who have made Jamaica your home away from home.

Across the board, I have seen the admirable traits, among them, capacity for hard work, enterprise, industry, thrift, responsibility, nationalism, a great sense of family, adaptability and flexibility. These are all winning characteristics. However, the one that keeps coming up in my thoughts these days is resilience. Filipinos have proven their ability tore cover quickly from the various storms of life and triumph over adversity. On the physical level, your country, blessed as it is with natural beauty, also presents the challenges of mountainous terrain, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as well as typhoons and other consequences of climate change.

In recent times the most devastating natural disasters have beset your land. In every case, Filipinos have mourned their losses, regrouped and faced the task of reconstruction with courage, strength and resilience. Political challenges have been met in the same manner, and so have the global economic storms. By the 1990s the Philippines had come to be recognised as a top economic performer in Asia. After slowing down somewhat in the earliest years of the 21st century, the economic recovery has been steady. Great resilience has been demonstrated in the face of world conditions — price increases in food and fuel, the global financial crisis and economic recession.

Today, as the World Bank’s Philippines Overview reports, your country is “one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the East Asian region, with sound economic fundamentals and a competitive workforce that is globally recognised”. And speaking of the workforce, Jamaica is most fortunate to have many skilled seafarers among the contingent of highly regarded Filipino workers. The current Country Report by the International Organization of Migration states that Filipinos constitute approximately 20 to 25 per cent of all international seafaring crews. Your country is among the top producers of seafarers in the world and it is, indeed, ‘the ship-manning capital of the world’.

As I suggested to Ambassador Jose L Cuisia Jnr when he was here in Jamaica, it would be a very productive undertaking for the governments of Jamaica and the Philippines to enter into an agreement of cooperation to facilitate maritime training and the manning of services. I feel very passionate about the benefits that would arise from this type of cooperation, which would allow for the sharing of best practices.

Just this week, we were very privileged to have visiting Jamaica, Professor Maximo Mejia, the Philippine candidate for the prestigious United Nations post of Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization. He and I met with Rear Admiral Peter Brady, advisor to the Minister of Transport, Works & Housing and we had a very productive discussion about the possibilities for maritime cooperation between Jamaica and the Philippines. I will continue to do my part in advocating for this to become a reality.

Today we salute the Philippine nation for its global outlook, its contribution to the enrichment of the pool of skills, talents and qualities that uplift humanity, and its appreciation for the value of cooperation. As His Excellency President Benigno S Aquino III said in a recent speech to the FFCCCII

and the Filipino-Chinese community: “Countries can no longer rely on their own strengths. In many ways, our successes and failures are dependent on the successes and failures of our partners and friends in the global community.

“Challenges such as pandemics, global terrorism and climate change and even those related to economic growth become infinitely less daunting when we work to overcome them in unison with others. That is why we have always been determined to work with other nations to improve our collective fortunes.”

And it is in that spirit of friendship and cooperation for mutual upliftment that I salute you the members of the Filipino community on the occasion of the 117th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. You are well on the road to achieving the greatness envisaged by the heroes who gave their all in the struggles for your Independence.

Today, they would be proud of their homeland. They would be filled with pride and happiness knowing that their sacrifices were not in vain, seeing that excellent use was made of their legacy of freedom. They would be overjoyed to see that the prospects are bright.

Long may the friendship and cooperation between Jamaica and the Philippines endure and continue to strengthen and flourish.