Envoy's residence in Japan becomes PHL's 1st overseas historical landmark



Tags: Japan
The official residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan is now a national historical landmark, following the unveiling of a historical marker there on Monday.

“This is a historic and momentous occasion that honors the history and national patrimony of the Philippines,” said Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez during the ceremony.
 
Ambassador Manuel Lopez and NHCP Chair Maria Serena Diokno unveil the historical marker at the property’s entrance, assisted by (L-R) Philippine-Japan Society President Francis Laurel and former Ambassador Jose Macario Laurel IV. Photo from DFA/Mr. Mark Akim
Lopez was joined by National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chair Maria Serena Diokno.

The property is located in Tokyo’s central Chiyoda ward.

The unveiling completes the Official Residence’s elevation into a “National Historical Landmark” pursuant to Resolution No. 01, Series 2013 adopted by the NHCP on March 11 last year.

The unveiling ceremony was witnessed by officials of the Philippine Embassy and the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Guests included former NHCP chair Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo and the Laurel family, represented by current Philippines-Japan Society, Inc. president and director Francis C. Laurel and former Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Jose Macario Laurel IV.

Located within a 4,500-square meter property of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Iberian-style residence was first built in 1934 by the family of the prominent businessman Baron Zenjiro Yasuda, whose descendants include the international artist Ms. Yoko Ono.

On March 31, 1944, then-President Jose P. Laurel purchased the property for the Philippine government. In succeeding years, the Kudan – as the residence is also referred to on account of its location near the Kudanzaka hilltop – became both the official home in Tokyo of Philippine Ambassadors to Japan, and a central venue for the conduct of Philippine diplomacy and cultural promotion, functions it continues to vitally serve to this day.

“Kudan is the crown jewel of the Philippine Foreign Service, and we should preserve this important part of our diplomatic legacy and heritage,” Lopez said.

With the adoption of the NCHP resolution, Kudan became the first and so far only officially-designated Philippine national historical landmark outside of the country. — KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more