PCGNY.net | News Release

18TH "SIMBANG GABI SA KONSULADO" DRAWS FILAM DEVOTEES AND RAISES FUNDS FOR BICOL

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE - NEWS RELEASE
20 December 2006

NEW YORK --- The Philippine Consulate General and the FilAm Community once more celebrated nine evenings of Simbang Gabi, ushering in the Christmas season and continuing a time-honored Filipino tradition.This year's Christmas novena masses were held from the 12th to the 20th of December at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center. Especially remembered were the victims of the recent typhoons in southern Tagalog and Bicol.Collections from the general public and the Simbang Gabi raised an amount of $5000 as of 20 December. These donations will be remitted by the Consulate General to the Philippine National Red Cross.

The novena masses were sponsored by FilAm organizations from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with overall coordination of the Consulate General. The FilAm young professional group was also well represented.

Reflecting the deep faith and devotion of the community, each Simbang Gabi drew in big crowds, filling the Parol-lit Kalayaan Hall, with a natively-decorated Christmas tree, to full capacity. The singing of Christmas carols further punctuated both the solemnity and festivity of the nine evenings. Filipino-style meals were served after each Mass. Priest-celebrants gave homilies conveying the Christmas messages of love, charity, forgiveness, and rejoicing in the coming of the Lord.

Simbang Gabi–goers were also reminded that, as Christians, "Merry Christmas" remained to be the most relevant and real greeting of the season. The priests lamented that the world has now given up on this greeting and has adopted the more neutral "Happy holidays!".

Consul General Cecille B. Rebong conveyed her wishes of peace, harmony and goodwill to all. She appealed for real generosity for our "suffereing kababayans" in Bicol and other typhoon-affected provinces. Consul General Rebong also acknowledged the community for continuously supporting the Simbang Gabi Sa Konsulado, even as various churches in Manhattan with big Filipino parishioners now simultaneously hold their own Misa de Gallo.

Participating organizations were: Coalition of Philippine Schools, UN Philippine Cultural Society, Philippine-American Communities Executive Council, Inc., New York Manhatannites Lions Club, Cavinti Laguna-USA, Liberty Lions Club, Filipino Westside Association, The Philippine-New York Jaycees, FAHSI, CORE, Diverse City Theater Co., Association of Filipino Teachers of America, Parents' Auxiliary Council, Philippine-American Association of Connecticut, Capizeno Circle, Inc., Lifeworks Foundation, New York-Manila Lions Club, San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, PWU Alumni Association, Friends Indeed, Inc., Philippine Nurses Association Of America, Philippine Nurses Association of New York, Philippine Nurses Association of New Jersey, Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc., Philippine-american Friendship Committee, NaFFAA-Region 1, La Communidad de Zamboanga, Garden State Filipino American Association, Federation of Philippine Societies in New Jersey, UERMMC Nursing Alumni Association, Inc., Rodem International Staffing, Inc., Holy Infant Jesus Foundation, Al Fresco Catering, Western Union, Philippine Center Management Board.

In the meantime, the Philippine Consulate General has announced that donations for the victims of Typhoon Reming in Bicol will continue to be accepted. For more information as to options for donations, the public is invited to visit www. pcgny.net.