MY fellow Filipinos and friends of the Philippines – Mabuhay! I greet you from the grand hall of the Malacañang Palace Museum on this 110th Anniversary of our Declaration of Independence.A century and a decade ago today, our revolutionary forefathers braved superior arms and the privations of war to break the chains of colonialism and stand proud among the free nations of the world, Asia’s first republic.Today, as we celebrate with pride that historic moment, we take stock of what we as a nation have achieved with unity, audacity, sacrifice and patriotism, and we look forward with hope, to what we shall claim for our national future.
Our vision is based on a strong and growing economy. It is the central pillar we have labored to create to help guarantee peace, order and stability in our country. Our labor is paying off: last year we had the strongest economy in over 30 years, investments are surging and we are close to balancing our budget.True to our heritage of freedom, we staunchly protect and strengthen the vibrant democracy that we have restored twenty-two years ago. Our political discourse is vibrant, our press is free, our Constitution shelters all who seek its protection and embrace the rule of law.
We have tackled our unfortunate legacy of political violence whether it is in the Philippines or abroad with foreign leaders and human rights organizations. We have met with a lot of success since the formation of what was to become the Melo Commission. Extrajudicial killings are down and prosecutions are up. We will not be satisfied until we are at zero, but we are making progress.We have made tough and politically unpopular decisions to raise revenues and crack down on smugglers so that we could invest in our physical infrastructure and in our people.
We are delivering investments in three critical areas, what we call the three “Es,” namely: the Economy, the Environment and Education. These issues are central to lifting our nation up and getting it ready for the next generation of leaders.The results of our efforts come none too soon. There are global clouds on the horizon that are driving up the price of oil and food, particularly rice. Thankfully, we are now in a vastly improved position to weather this storm than at any other time in recent memory.Our people are enterprising and welcomed everywhere, as quick learners and hardworkers who are also generous of spirit to strangers and friends alike.
As our countrymen and women build successful careers and prosperous lives all over the world, foreign investors and travelers flock to our islands eager to harness Filipino talent, enjoy Filipino hospitality, and marvel at the beauty and grandeur of 7,108 magnificent Philippine islands. Our archipelago shelters us all – Filipinos, foreigners, and compatriots across the world warmed by memories of your homeland.
With solidarity, sacrifice and singular purpose, our heroes brought forth a new nation. With the same love of country binding all Filipinos, we too shall achieve for the Philippines and all its peoples the blessings of freedom, justice and progress, and our esteemed place among the great nations of the world.
We remain bullish on our country, optimistic about our future and deeply committed to being a force for good.In this march to our collective tomorrow I ask all of you to join as one – for our motherland, for our families, and for the generations to come.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
My Picture @ Rizal Park with Guest ICT Sec. and City Officials
Upper Right http://www.richelda.blogspot.com http://richelda.com www.13HQ.com
Center front row Guest of Honor ICT Sec. Roxas-Chua & Mayor Peter Ray A. Bautista
(Middle Initial of the Mayor, A=Asperin, a trueblood Agooeno)
Friday, June 13, 2008
Grace G. Gupana: Maker of the world's largest flag
Philippines - While the world’s largest flag may not be that of the Philippines, a Filipino woman is behind it.
Grace Galindez Gupana, founder of a Christian charismatic group that claims global reach, takes pride in setting two Guinness World records for the world’s largest flag and the world’s largest banner this year.
Gupana, who once worked as a sago’t gulaman vendor at the Quezon City Hall grounds, is the only Filipino so far who has managed to get two world records and the only woman who set those feats in less than 30 days apart.
She was behind the blue and white Israeli flag that was unfurled last November in Masada, Israel. It measured 18,847 square meters (about the size of two football fields) while tipping the scale at 5.2 metric tons; upstaging the previous record of the US flag in 1996 which was at 11,964 square meters.
The second largest flag of the world, the Philippine flag, was smaller by less than 30 square meters (18,818).
She originally wanted the two flags to have the same size. However, in 2006 the Philippine flag was ripped after strong gusts of wind tore the 200 by 100 meter-flag (A similar fate happened to Indonesia when its flag was unrolled on a building in 2003).
Less than 30 days later, she went to Israel, unfurled a new Philippine flag and the Israeli flag and sew them together with the North Korean and South Korean flags and miniature flags of 180 other recognized United Nations members, spanning 54,451 square meters.
Gupana called it the “777 Yahweh’s Banner" which, she said, does not only highlight the four highly christianized countries in Asia but also gave overseas based Filipinos a new source of pride.
“We usually had a hard time at the airport in Israel since we were Filipinos. But when they saw in the news what we did, they were in awe. They let us through. Wherever we go, we were praised," said Noel Luna, who accompanied Gupana to Israel.
For her, this was the product of her work which she dedicated to God.
“You treat my people as you respect your brother," Gupana recalled telling Israeli officials during the Guinness stamping of the world’s largest flag.
“[Filipinos] are now respected [in Israel]," said Noel, “[Before,] Filipinos occupied a different elevator."
A difficult task
The unfurling of the world’s largest flag was not in any measure a small undertaking.
From the Philippines, the two flags were shipped to Israel and brought to the foot of the ancient Jewish fortress in Masada, all expenses shouldered by Gupana.
Salty winds from the Dead Sea constantly swept across the desert, carrying sand and dust to more than 40 volunteers—including Filipino caregivers and 400 Arabs and Jews—under the scorching November afternoon sun.
Gupana said she chose the venue in Israel, as well as the choice of flags, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Israel’s victory in the six-day war; the 50th anniversary of the Israel-RP relations and the centennial of the Christian revival in Korea.
But before going to Israel, Gupana said she received a “tall order from God" one day while she was contemplating on her life on top of her seven-storey building in Quezon City.
“It came in thunder and lightning. God said I needed to raise the standard of his people to raise his own standard," Gupana told GMANews.TV in an interview.
So, for the next few months, she defied her husband’s wishes and started to finance the making of the largest Philippine flag in August 26, 2006.
One month, two artists, 10 seamstresses, and 3,772 kilograms of materials later, the flag was done.
“I got depressed when the flag was torn apart. I cried. But I guess God was giving me a sign," Gupana said.
Instead of being swallowed up by her disappointment, she was back on the drawing board and planning a grander project.
She thought of making the Israeli flag instead since it was “God’s country."
Gupana admits her struggles in making the flags seemed to parallel her own battle in life—filled with big dreams, frustrations, and a lot of faith.
Graceful life
Despite earning a secretarial diploma at the Philippine Women’s University in 1982, Gupana failed to get a job for a year.
Armed only with 800 pesos in her pocket, she went to Divisoria, bought pieces of colorful paper, some cartolina, then locked herself in her room, and for days labored in making cards with inscribed biblical verses.
She then regularly hawked her handmade crafts to bookstores around Manila, ensuring that she was the only supplier in the city. founder of a Christian charismatic group that claims global reach, takes pride in setting two Guinness World records for the world’s largest flag and the world’s largest banner this year.
Gupana, who once worked as a sago’t gulaman vendor at the Quezon City Hall grounds, is the only Filipino so far who has managed to get two world records and the only woman who set those feats in less than 30 days apart.
She was behind the blue and white Israeli flag that was unfurled last November in Masada, Israel. It measured 18,847 square meters (about the size of two football fields) while tipping the scale at 5.2 metric tons; upstaging the previous record of the US flag in 1996 which was at 11,964 square meters.
The second largest flag of the world, the Philippine flag, was smaller by less than 30 square meters (18,818).
She originally wanted the two flags to have the same size. However, in 2006 the Philippine flag was ripped after strong gusts of wind tore the 200 by 100 meter-flag (A similar fate happened to Indonesia when its flag was unrolled on a building in 2003).
Less than 30 days later, she went to Israel, unfurled a new Philippine flag and the Israeli flag and sew them together with the North Korean and South Korean flags and miniature flags of 180 other recognized United Nations members, spanning 54,451 square meters.
Gupana called it the “777 Yahweh’s Banner" which, she said, does not only highlight the four highly christianized countries in Asia but also gave overseas based Filipinos a new source of pride.
“We usually had a hard time at the airport in Israel since we were Filipinos. But when they saw in the news what we did, they were in awe. They let us through. Wherever we go, we were praised," said Noel Luna, who accompanied Gupana to Israel.
For her, this was the product of her work which she dedicated to God.
“You treat my people as you respect your brother," Gupana recalled telling Israeli officials during the Guinness stamping of the world’s largest flag.
“[Filipinos] are now respected [in Israel]," said Noel, “[Before,] Filipinos occupied a different elevator."
A difficult task
The unfurling of the world’s largest flag was not in any measure a small undertaking.
From the Philippines, the two flags were shipped to Israel and brought to the foot of the ancient Jewish fortress in Masada, all expenses shouldered by Gupana.
Salty winds from the Dead Sea constantly swept across the desert, carrying sand and dust to more than 40 volunteers—including Filipino caregivers and 400 Arabs and Jews—under the scorching November afternoon sun.
Gupana said she chose the venue in Israel, as well as the choice of flags, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Israel’s victory in the six-day war; the 50th anniversary of the Israel-RP relations and the centennial of the Christian revival in Korea.
But before going to Israel, Gupana said she received a “tall order from God" one day while she was contemplating on her life on top of her seven-storey building in Quezon City.
“It came in thunder and lightning. God said I needed to raise the standard of his people to raise his own standard," Gupana told GMANews.TV in an interview.
So, for the next few months, she defied her husband’s wishes and started to finance the making of the largest Philippine flag in August 26, 2006.
One month, two artists, 10 seamstresses, and 3,772 kilograms of materials later, the flag was done.
“I got depressed when the flag was torn apart. I cried. But I guess God was giving me a sign," Gupana said.
Instead of being swallowed up by her disappointment, she was back on the drawing board and planning a grander project.
She thought of making the Israeli flag instead since it was “God’s country."
Gupana admits her struggles in making the flags seemed to parallel her own battle in life—filled with big dreams, frustrations, and a lot of faith.
Graceful life
Despite earning a secretarial diploma at the Philippine Women’s University in 1982, Gupana failed to get a job for a year.
Armed only with 800 pesos in her pocket, she went to Divisoria, bought pieces of colorful paper, some cartolina, then locked herself in her room, and for days labored in making cards with inscribed biblical verses.
She then regularly hawked her handmade crafts to bookstores around Manila, ensuring that she was the only supplier in the city.
Giant Israeli Flag Breaks World Record/Philippine Flag Unfurling in Athletic Bowl Next?
Aerial View of the Philippine Flag besides Israel Flag in Israel
An Aerial View of the Unfurling of the Biggest,Longest and Largest Philippine Flag in Baguio City's Athletic Bowl while singing "Ang Bayan Ko".....12 June 2008 =)www.richelda.com
Six hundred people unfurled the biggest Philippine flag inside the Baguio Athletic Bowl. The 180 meters x 92 meters Philippine flag was displayed almost as the same time as the world's biggest flag, the Israeli flag, was also unfurled at Gaza strip in Israel. Grace Galindez Gupana, the maker of the two flags, decided to attend the Israeli unfurling but in her message to the almost 5,000 government employees and students in the athletic Bowl, she said that the simultaneous unfurling is symbolic because the Gaza Strip is beset with conflicts and the Philippines is out to help bring in the peace. The Philippine flag weighed 3.8 tons and cost almost P30 million. The Israeli flag, first unfurled in 2006 in Masada, Israel, measured 660 meters by 100 meters and weighed 5.2 tons.
An Aerial view of large Israeli and Philippine flags after they were laid on the ground at the Masada airfield near the Dead Sea, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007.
The massive blue and white Israeli flag, measuring 18,847 square meters - the size of two soccer fields - and weighing 5.2 metric tons, broke the record for the world's largest. It was measured by representatives for the Guinness Book of Records. Filipino entrepreneur and evangelical Christian Grace Galindez-Gupana decided two years ago to produce a giant Israeli flag as a testament to her love for Israel and the Jewish people, and as a celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Philipines and Israel.
The record for the world's largest flag now belongs to an Israeli banner produced by a Filipino evangelical Christian.
The huge blue and white flag, measuring 2,165 feet long and 330 feet wide and weighing 5.7 tons, breaks the record for the world's largest, according to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.
The flag was unfurled Sunday beneath the ancient Jewish desert fortress of Masada. Representatives of the Guinness Book of Records measured the flag and later confirmed the record.
Filipino entrepreneur Grace Galindez-Gupana said she decided two years ago to produce a giant Israeli flag as a testament to her love for Israel and the Jewish people and as a celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Israel.
"God spoke to me in thunder and lightning," Galindez-Gupana said. "The Lord said, 'Make the flag of Israel, the standard of my people.'"
"This is a tall order," she said, breaking down in tears.
The Israeli flag was accompanied by a giant Philippines flag — huge, but not quite as big. It weighed about 4.2 tons.
Large stones anchored both flags as they billowed in the desert winds.
There are about 31,000 Filipinos in Israel, most of whom are foreign workers, said Gilberto Asuque, consul general of the Philippine Embassy in Israel.
"This flag expresses the friendship between the Philippines and the state of Israel, and also the friendship between Jewish and Christian communities," said Shaul Zemach, director of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.
Posted by salman at 8:28 AM
Labels: Flag, Gaint, Record, World
The Largest Flag
On the 25th of November 2007 the largest flag with a total area of 18,843 m² (202,823.55 ft²) was unfurled at Masada Airfield, Israel organised by Sar-El Tours. The location was chosen very carefully - between two other record locations: the Dead Sea on the Israel-Jordan border (the lowest exposed body of water on Earth, at 400 m (1,312 ft) below sea level) and Masada, where, according to the historian Flavius Josephues (c.37-100), some 960 Jewish zealots committed suicide by cutting each others' throats during a siege by the Romans in AD 73, thus resulting in the largest mass suicide of ancient times.
The flag was created at the initiative and financing of Sister Grace Galindez-Gupana, a Philippine business woman and ardent supporter of Israel, to honour 50 years of friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines after the idea was conceived 2.5 years ago. Sister Grace, who has been working for many years to promote tourism between the two countries, decided to make two flags of equal size – one each of Israel and the Philippines.
The flag, which weighs 5,200 kg (11,464 lb), was sown over the course of three months by six professional sewers, all under the direction of two designers, and requiring the help of 40 volunteers.
Sister Grace, who arrived in Israel accompanied by several journalists from the Philippines, said: "The flag is my way of showing my love and support for the State of Israel and its citizens, and I hope that in this way I can also promote tourism to Israel."
The Ministry of Tourism, together with the Parks and Nature Authority, will integrate the flag into events planned for the 60th year of Independence, in order to promote both internal and incoming tourism. The Ministry has also received many external requests from different parties who are interested in using the flag in their various events.
05 December 2007
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Largest and Longest Philippine Flag
Six hundred people unfurled the biggest Philippine flag inside the Baguio Athletic Bowl. The 180 meters x 92 meters Philippine flag was displayed almost as the same time as the world's biggest flag, the Israeli flag, was also unfurled at Gaza strip in Israel. Grace Galindez Gupana, the maker of the two flags, decided to attend the Israeli unfurling but in her message to the almost 5,000 government employees and students in the athletic Bowl, she said that the simultaneous unfurling is symbolic because the Gaza Strip is beset with conflicts and the Philippines is out to help bring in the peace. The Philippine flag weighed 3.8 tons and cost almost P30 million. The Israeli flag, first unfurled in 2006 in Masada, Israel, measured 660 meters by 100 meters and weighed 5.2 tons.
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