EdAngara.com - The Official Website of Senator Edgardo J. Angara

SENATOR ANGARA (SEJA): Galing lang ako sa Baler at in-announce ko sa mga kababayan ko sa Baler na hindi na ako magpapatuloy tumkabo sa pagka-gobernador.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara recently launched a new initiative as part of his ongoing commitment to the growth and progress of MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in his home province of Aurora--the Aurora Bamboo Center (ABC) located in the municipality of San Luis.

The ABC: A Center of Engineered Bamboo in Luzon is a project initiated jointly by the Office of Senator Edgardo J. Angara (OSEJA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Aurora Buffalo Cooperative.

Over 300 students from the different municipalities of Aurora province have participated in the first Aurora Plays Football (APF) program, a three-month workshop which was successfully concluded last Saturday.

Said workshop which began last July was headed by Coach Maor Rozen, a PRO-level National Football Coach from Spain who was invited by Senator Edgardo J. Angara to provide training to the youth of Aurora as part of his comprehensive grassroots sports development program.

As part of the 10th Philippine-Spanish Day celebrations, dignitaries and officials from both countries joined a wreath-laying ceremony at the Baler Church in Aurora to commemorate the 113th anniversary of the historic Siege of Baler.

(L-R) First Row: Aurora Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo; Hon. Francisco Perez de los Cobos, Justice of the Spanish Constitutional Court; former Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban; and Col. Vic C. Castro, Commander of the 702nd Brigade of the Philippine Army.

Second Row: Ambassador Jorge Domecq of Spain; Hon. Jesus Gracia Aldaz of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; and Senator Edgardo J. Angara.

Third Row: Executive Director Ludovico Badoy of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and Dr. Serena Diokno, Chairperson of the NHCP.

Former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban graced the 10th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day celebrations held in Baler, Aurora as its guest of honor.

Aside from Panganiban, foreign dignitaries also attended in support of the first decade of commemorating the friendship between the Philippines and Spain.

Present were Ambassador Jorge Domecq of Spain, Ambassador Menashe Bar-on of Israel, Ambassador Jouaquin Daniel of Argentina, Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinichai of Thailand, Ambassador Yohanes Kristiarto Legowo of Indonesia and Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tu of Vietnam.

After Spain’s Congreso de los Diputados' historic parliamentary declaration last year, its Senado has also formally expressed its gratitude toward the Philippines for 10 successful years of celebrating the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day every 30th of June.

Spain’s Senate President Pio Garcia-Escudero Marquez read the institutional declaration unanimously promulgated by the chamber during its session on June 19.

The Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day Steering Committee has partnered with the Philippine Embassy in Spain, and cultural agencies National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts to make the much-awaited 10th year celebration memorable.

“The Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day is a national holiday that commemorates and preserves centuries-old friendship, and strong historical and cultural links between our countries,” said Angara, Chairman of the Philippines-Spain Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara’s upcoming four-day visit to Korea will further strengthen bilateral economic ties and multifaceted cooperation particularly in the areas of education, trade and investment.

“I look forward to this visit as an important milestone in the relationship between the Philippines and Korea, and I am confident that the trip will give a huge boost to the already strong ties between the two countries and lead to economic prosperity through academic exchanges and investment opportunities,” said Angara, who will leave for Korea today.

Baler, Aurora--Senator Edgardo J. Angara lauded the successful run of the 6th annual Aurora Youth for Sports and Arts, more popularly known as AYOS-A.

Two hundred and twenty kids from all over the province of Aurora participated in this three-day workshop, held at the Baler Central Elementary School during which they were mentored by professionals from each field. This year's AYOS-A workshop consisted of four sports classes (Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Taekwondo) and four arts classes (Visual Arts, Painting, Basic Photography and Jewelry Making).