PR-21-2024
25 August 2024 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – The Filipino community in Victoria celebrated Buwan ng Wika with the vibrant event called “Iba’t-ibang Wika, Iisang Diwa” at the Philippine Community Centre in Laverton on 25 August 2024. The event, organized by the Philippine Fiesta Inc. (PFVI), Philippine Language School of Victoria Inc. (PLVI), Knights of Rizal (KOR), Kababaihang Rizalista Inc. (KRI) Victoria, Philippine Australian Foundation Inc. (PAFI), and the Philippine Community Centre, in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General, marked the first collective celebration of Buwan ng Wika by Filipino Community Organizations in Victoria.
Over three hundred participants, including members of both the Filipino and broader international communities, attended. Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo highlighted the importance of Philippine languages in uniting the Filipino community as she outlined the evolution of Filipino as the national language inscribed in the Constitution.
The Guest of Honor, MP Sarah Connolly, Labor Member for the Southern Western Suburbs, including Laverton and Williams Landing, spoke of the significant contributions of the Filipino community to Australia. She praised the existence of the “wonderful” Philippine Community Center in her own district of Laverton. The celebration highlighted the Philippines’ linguistic diversity through an array of cultural exhibitions including poetry, literature, food, music, and dance.
The event kicked off with the “Parada ng mga Wika,” where representatives from various Filipino regional organizations showcased their languages/dialects from regions like Bicol, Capiz, Cebu, Mountain Province, Ilocos, Iloilo, Manila, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Zamboanga, Bohol, Tausug, and Aklan, among others. This was followed by cultural performances such as traditional folk songs like “Sarung-Banggi” from Bicol and “Malinak Lay Labi,” along with the popular “Singkil” and “Itik-Itik” dances, and readings from Philippine literature. The festivities also included a vibrant display of traditional Filipino attire, including a fashion parade of a local designer, and community singing of Filipino songs.
Highlighting the Philippines’ culinary heritage, the various regional organizations and the Filipino Chefs’ Association of Victoria (FCAV) also provided guests with homemade dishes representative of the Philippines’ diverse culinary regions. These tastings offered a delicious insight into the rich diversity of Filipino cuisine.
The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne is dedicated to promoting the Philippines’ cultural and linguistic heritage, reinforcing the deep-rooted ties between the Filipino community in Australia and their home provinces in the Philippines.
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