{"id":409878,"date":"2024-06-13T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=409878"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"UFO-Masons-lead-flag-raising-to-mark-126th-PH-Independence-Day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/UFO-Masons-lead-flag-raising-to-mark-126th-PH-Independence-Day\/","title":{"rendered":"UFO, Masons lead flag-raising to mark 126th PH Independence Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Members of the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 held a solemn march and flag-raising ceremony yesterday at 7am in the parking lot of Aqua Resort Club.<\/p>\n

The event was in celebration of the 126th Philippine Independence Day with the theme \u201cKalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan\u201d (Freedom, Future, History). It\u2019s a yearly tradition and done in collaboration with the United Filipino Organization-CNMI.<\/p>\n

Emon Masonic Lodge\u2019s Fernando \u201cBok\u201d Enano said all subordinate lodges are obligated to have a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate Philippine Independence Day, as mandated by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines.<\/p>\n

The introduction of the rite was done by Eloisa Manese and Shane Sabino sung the Philippine national anthem, \u201cLupang Hinirang.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event also marked the first time that the UFO president was escorted to the flagpole by Emon Masonic Lodge 179 marshals, along with the senior and junior deacons, in raising the flag. In the past it\u2019s always the governor who joined them to conduct the flag-raising.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an act of respect as she was elected president of the umbrella organization of the Filipino community,\u201d said Marcelo Masilungan, the former president of UFO-CNMI.<\/p>\n

The event was graced by Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, House Speaker Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan), Rep. Manny Castro (Ind-Saipan), Mayor Ramon B. \u201cRB\u201d Camacho, and longtime Saipan resident Del Benson, who is running for a House of Representatives seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an annual event that I always want to come and appreciate and show my support for our fellow kababayans<\/em> and it\u2019s always a beautiful day as we know we have a huge strong population of Filipinos living in the Commonwealth to have made this their home for many decades,\u201d said Propst.<\/p>\n

Villagomez has never missed attending the Philippine flag-raising ceremony for 10-15 years and he said, \u201cI wanna show my support in the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day. It\u2019s a very important day in Philippine history and the Filipino people have been a big part of the CNMI\u2019s history and I just want to show my support and then I celebrate along with the people of the Philippines to celebrate this momentous occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breakfast and a short program followed after the ceremony at the Costa Terrace Restaurant of ARC. The masters of the ceremony were Deo and Eloisa Manese. The invocation, led by Bishop Ryan P. Jimenez, opened the program.<\/p>\n

UFO-CNMI president Birhen Martinez said in her welcome remarks, \u201cLet us be guided by our rich history and continue to persevere to lift our country in honor of the heroes that came before us. kababayans, we are all heroes in our own way. No matter where we are, no matter how small a contribution it may be, we are all today\u2019s heroes! Let us continue to devote ourselves to the common good and for the betterment of ourselves and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apatang, in his special message, said \u201cAs I ride down Beach Road and see those hardworking people there at the hot sun. I really feel today, what will happen if those workers are not here, you guys make this island, you guys work hard for us, and we want to thank you, we love you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Philippine Consulate General of Agana Guam consul Ricardo Aragon read a letter from the Consul General Rosario Lemque, as she extends his appreciation to the Filipino community of the CNMI. \u201cI wish to convey my warmest greetings to the Filipino community in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. As you celebrate the 126th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence, the commemoration of our Independence Day is an auspicious occasion for us to remember the courage and patriotism of our forebears, and the sacrifices that they made in order for us to enjoy the freedom you have now,\u201d an excerpt from the consul general\u2019s letter read.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Philippine Consulate General of Agana Guam consul Ricardo Aragon, seventh from left, poses with Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, House Speaker Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan), Rep. Manny Castro ((Ind-Saipan) and Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 and United Filipino Organization-CNMI members after the flag-raising ceremony yesterday to mark the 126th Philippine Independence Day at the Aqua Resort Club parking lot.<\/p>\n

-RACQUEL FLOYD
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, 10th from left, poses with CNMI leaders and members of the Filipino community on Saipan after breakfast and a short program at the Costa Terrace Restaurant of Aqua Resort Club,<\/p>\n

-RACQUEL FLOYD
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 members perform a solemn march carrying the Philippine flag.<\/p>\n

-RACQUEL FLOYD
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Members of the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 held a solemn march and flag-raising ceremony…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-409878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=409878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409878\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=409878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=409878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=409878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}