Concert honors 60 years of RP-Indonesia ties

MANILA, Philippines — A concert at the London School of Public Relations auditorium in Jakarta highlighted the 60th anniversary of Philippines-Indonesia relations. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the concert last April 22 was under the auspices of the Philippine Women’s Association of Jakarta and the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta. Dubbed “Handog ng Filipino sa Indonesia," the concert featured Filipino tenor Ronan Ferrer, and Filipino-Indonesian pianist Najib Ismail. An article on the DFA website (www.dfa.gov.ph) said the event is the second in a series of special programs envisioned to celebrate six decades of Philippines-Indonesia relations. Ferrer and Ismail have a string of local and international training and performances and belong to the emerging breed of young Filipino musical artists based at the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. Their repertoire included popular European pieces, Broadway hits and unique piano arrangement of three Filipino folk songs namely, Salidummay, Katurog na Nonoy and Penpen Di Sarapen, and Kundimans like Bituing Marikit, Kundiman ng Luha and Hangin. Lucio San Pedro’s Sa Ugoy ng Duyan was also played. Present at the event were top officials of the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs, including Triyono Wibowo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Hamzah Thayyeb, Director General for Asia Pacific and Africa. Members of the Diplomatic Corps also graced the event. Thayyeb announced in his speech that the Indonesian Embassy in Manila is likewise launching a special event for the anniversary. - GMANews.TV