The unprecedented turnout of Filipino voters in the recently-held overseas absentee voting (OAV) in Qatar mirrored the theme of Friday’s celebration of the 118th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence – “unity, contribution, and progress,” Philippine ambassador Wilfredo Santos has said.

In a speech, Santos stressed that thousands of Filipinos in Qatar “were able to showcase how united we are as a people” during the month-long OAV for the Philippine national elections here, which concluded on May 9.

A total of 15,695 Filipinos (35.02%) cast their votes during the OAV in Qatar, which, according to Santos, is the second highest in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region after Bahrain.

He also lauded the efforts of United Filipino Organisations in Qatar (Ufoq) officers for organising the month-long activities and preparations leading to the Independence Day celebrations, which is commemorated annually in the Philippines on June 12.

“This year’s theme – ‘Kalayaan 2016: Pagkakaisa, Pag-aambagan, at Pagsulong,’ (unity, contribution, and progress) only strengthens our spirit of ‘bayanihan’ or communal unity and co-operation.

“It is a core essence of our culture demonstrated countless of times throughout our rich history…undaunted by the difficulty of taking on an entire empire, we were able to achieve freedom because of our strong sense of patriotism and because we stood as one – we were united. We did not achieve this overnight. It took many years of perseverance, and we triumphed.

Ufoq chairman Ed Anami, in his speech, lauded members and officials of the organisation for their “unwavering support, dedication, and their higher sense of volunteerism to the welfare of the Filipino community in Qatar.”

The ambassador also reiterated the embassy’s mission to serve Filipinos in Qatar: “We are always ready to provide courteous and quick delivery of services to the Filipino community in Qatar.”

His assurance reflects the message of Philippine Foreign Affairs secretary Jose Rene D Almendras, which Santos delivered at the flag raising ceremony at the Philippine embassy in Qatar yesterday.

Quoting Almendras, the ambassador said in the past six years of the administration of President Benigno S Aquino, “bold structural reforms were taken to successfully deliver on our renewed hopes for better lives.”

“With the conviction that transparent, open, and streamlined processes allow for greater growth, programmes were directed to broaden civic engagement and participation in governance, and to fortify the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and trustworthiness in the country’s public leadership.

“As a result, the Philippines is now widely-acknowledged for its steady rise as a dynamic economic growth hub with sustainable inclusive development, a vital and responsible member of the global community committed to uphold and abide by the rule of law, and as a stronghold for democracy,” the message said.

 Performers in festive costumes add colour to the celebrations.