How Other Countries Celebrate National Day in SG

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Netizens oppose pinoys celebrating their N-Day publicly

April 18th, 2014 | Author: Editorial




After the TRE article ‘PIDCS receives calls demanding cancellation of celebration‘
appeared yesterday (17 Apr), many readers have remarked that the Philippine
community in Singapore should not celebrate their Independence or National Day
publicly in Orchard Road.

Note that the organizers of the celebration include the Philippine Embassy,
as reported by the Philippine news media [Link]:


Yet organizers are hopeful plans for the June 8, 2014 event will push
through, said Rychie Andres Tuesday. He co-chairs the Pilipino Independence Day
Council Singapore (PIDCS), along with the cultural section of the
Philippine embassy here.
Some comments from TRE readers:


Jake B:
April 17, 2014 at 12:53 pm (Quote)

To have a day of celebration to share the country’s culture and tradition is
one thing. But why must they celebrate their Independence Day in Singapore.
That’s basically a nationalistic driven gathering which is saying to the host
country that: “I’m superior and I can do whatever I want in your country because
I have the critical mass of Filipinos in Singapore!! I will celebrate my
country’s Independence Day wherever and however I want”.

I cringe thinking how out of control and brazen foreigners have become in
Singapore.

SIN:
April 17, 2014 at 1:11 pm (Quote)

If really give them green light and proceed their celebration. Future other
trash also request similar request and even make it more bigger. Soon request
their army station in Singapore.

We already become like old shanghai before 1945. Shanghai was divided in many
sector such as jap, usa, british etc. We already have little india, little
chinatown etc.

Soon those trash will put up poster that they welcome certain
race/nationality into their shop. If get caught can act blur that don’t know
Singapore law. This happened in a case which a new citizen tried to escape tax
for importing beer and act blur.

TrustNoPig:
April 17, 2014 at 2:02 pm (Quote)

Look. The organizer already admitted that this is not the first time they are
doing it. This means PAP has been giving implicit or explicit permission for
Filipinos to celebrate a political event on our soil. Now that they are more
daring and taking it to Orchard, people start to notice, take note and challenge
their rights.

amtk:
April 17, 2014 at 4:16 pm (Quote)

Why hv such an event in a centralised and tourist area? The issue is the
nature of the event and the venue. Do u think its appropriate e.g. if the
americans celebrate 4 of july in front of ngee ann city, the PRCs celebrating
their National day etc?

Such events should be confined in their own community ie embassy which they
have done so traditionally… public and open area such as ngee ann should hold
events where all members of the public can participate… can u imagine holding a
spore N day celebration in the centre of times sqr or central london ?

pinoy boleh:
April 17, 2014 at 4:20 pm (Quote)

Next, they will want independence day parade along orchard rd and holiday for
all pinoys working in spore on that day..

correct respectful way:
April 17, 2014 at 4:18 pm
(Quote)

What is Philippine Embassy doing, testing the sovereignty of the Republic of
Singapore? A correct, respectful and diplomatic way to celebrate a political
national event like Independence Day in a foreign country should only be
organised by the Embassy in embassy’s own ground.

By doing so they can invite all their own citizens in the host country to the
embassy to celebrate besides inviting other ambassadors and leaders of the host
country. To hold such an event though in name by the individual but can be seen
to be supported by the embassy and is violation of the Laws of the host nation
besides showing utmost disrespect for the citizens of the host country.

Arrogance of foreigners in their host country is never welcome in any nation.
Singaporeans suggest the Philippine Embassy show diplomatic respect for the host
country and move the celebration site into the embassy ground. It is not nice
for their nationals to show such disrespect for the citizens of the host nation
which provide jobs and a good way out for their lives.
TRE then looked at how other countries celebrate their national day in
Singapore.

The UK High Commission celebrates their national day (the Queen’s Birthday)
on their embassy ground [Link].
They usually invite local, British and foreign guests. British food is served
and there is a bagpipe march. Here are some pictures taken at the Queen’s
Birthday in Singapore last year:

The US Embassy celebrated the 237th anniversary of their Independence Day at
the Ritz Carlton Hotel last year [Link]:

The High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore hosted a reception to
celebrate the 56th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence at the Shangri-La
Hotel last year. About 500 guests from all sectors of society attended the
reception: diplomats, government officials, business people from trade and
commercial sectors, academicians, students, representatives from civil
institutions, and society leaders [Link].

The Chinese Embassy celebrated the 64th anniversary of the founding of the
People’s Republic of China at the Shangri-La Hotel as well last year [Link]:

You do not see these embassies organizing mass events in public places in
Singapore and getting tons of negative reaction from Singaporeans. This is
because these embassies are sensitive to the feelings of Singaporeans.

They are also careful not to break the law of Singapore which prohibits the
public display another country’s flag (unless exempted by the Singapore
government):


National Emblems (Control of Display) Act [Link]

Display of national emblems in public or at schools
prohibited

3.—(1) No person shall display in public or at or within any school any
national emblem.

(2) For the purposes of this section, an emblem shall be deemed to be
displayed in public if it is displayed in any road, street, bridge, passage,
footway or place over which the public or any class of the public has a right of
way or to which the public has access, whether on payment or otherwise, or
if it is displayed in such manner as to be visible from any such road,
street, bridge, passage, footway or place by any member of the public using the
same or being therein.
It is not known if the Philippine Ambassador is aware of this.


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