Why Philippine Independence Day 2016 was celebrated on September 6 in Dubai

  DUBAI – The men were in beautiful, classic barong tagalog while the women donned elegant Filipiniana dresses for a celebration of the Philippines’ 118th Independence Day. Except that it is not June 12. It is September 6. “We extended our Philippine Independence Day this month because June 12 fell during Ramadan,” Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes explained to the crowd at the Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf in Dubai. The attendance at the packed room indicated to consulate officials that they made the right decision, Cortes said, using the opportunity to appeal to the crowd of dignitaries and business people about supporting “Filipino ingenuity and talent”. Cortes said Filipinos in the UAE bring with them the “excitement of being a part of the rise of the UAE as a global hub of finance and tourism”, adding that the “excitement is contagious”. The consul general also spoke of diversity, lauding the UAE for being a place where everyone “live together in harmony and opportunity regardless of colour, creed, gender, cultural preferences even cuisine.” Cortes said that sets an environment for talent to flourish. To emphasize the Filipinos’ mark on the fabric of UAE society, on display outside the hall were works of four of the Philippines’ internationally-acclaimed fashion designers: Michael Cinco, Ezra Santos, Bandoix Flores Nebria, Jimi Buenconsejo. “They represent Philippine design on an international scale,” Cortes said.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