FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN BERLIN KEEPS SANTACRUZAN ALIVE

2 June 2025 – Under fair skies  on a Sunday, the Santacruzan was kept alive by the Filipino community in Berlin with the traditional mass and procession around Heilig Geist Church.   

Fr. Simon Boiser, S.V.D., Pastoral Head of the Catholic Community in Berlin, celebrated the Holy Mass and led  the community in a procession with  children dressed as angels and members of the community as sagalas parading under colorful floral arches and holding items to symbolize the virtues and the communities and historical figures they represent. 

After the procession, the community was treated to a program of dance numbers and invited for the usual salo-salo. 

SANTACRUZAN IN HAMBURG

Hamburg – The Filipino community in Northern Germany held their annual Santacruzan after a mass officiated by Fr. Ritchie Salinas at the Kleiner Michael church in Hamburg on 25 May.  

Organized by the Federation of Filipino Organizations in Northern Germany (FFONG), this year’s Santacruzan saw the image of the Blessed Mother carried in a procession while participants and sagalas led by Reyna Elena recited the Holy Rosary.   The procession ended at the church hall where participants and guests were invited to partake in a salu-salo. 

“The Santacruzan has evolved into a celebration not only of our faith, but also of our culture and sense of community.    From small and big towns in the Philippines, this tradition has journeyed across oceans, becoming a cherished tradition of overseas Filipinos, reminding us of home,”  Ambassador Susie Natividad said in her remarks. END 

GERMAN CHOIR SINGS FILIPINO CLASSICS AT CONCERT IN HAMBURG

19 May 2025 – The Filipino-German community in Hamburg was treated to an afternoon concert entitled One World, One Music by Ensemble Musicus Diestedde at the historic Museum Am Rothenbaum Kulturen and Kuenste der Welt (MARKK) in Hamburg last Saturday, 17 May.

Under the direction of  co-conductors Mr. Raul Huesca Valverde and Mr. Karl Melegrito,   the Ensemble sang a mix of hymns and Filipino melodies composed, arranged or written by Filipino National Artists such as Silence My Soul by Dr. Francisco Feliciano and Sa Ugoy ng Duyan by Prof. Lucio San Pedro, as well as crowd favorites like Rosas Pandan and Bukonut.  

Guest flutist, Ms. Jean Clariz Petrasanta,  a Filipino student at the Vivaldi Conservatory of Music, also performed during the concert. 

“It is not every day that we witness a German choir performing Filipino songs.  More often we see visiting Filipino choirs rendering German songs.  Today is a rare and interesting reversal and one that reflects the beauty of Philippine-German friendship and collaboration,”  Ambassador Irene Susan Natividad said during her remarks.

The 2-hour concert was organized in collaboration with  the Federation of Filipino Organizations in Northern Germany (FFONG e.V.) and MARKK through its curator Ms. June Rillando Lamadjido, to celebrate 70 years of Philippine-German relations.  END

ECO-MATERIAL INVENTED BY  CEBU-BASED COMPANY MAKE IT  TO THE FINALS OF THE GREEN PRODUCTS AWARD 2025

NaturescastⓇ, a material invented by Cebu-based company, Nature’s Legacy Eximport Inc., was among the five finalists under the New Materials Category of the Green Products Awards, which was held on 15 May 2025 in Berlin.   

NaturescastⓇ is an eco-friendly material made of agro-forest debris and bound by proprietary water-based binders. Lightweight and versatile, the material has applications in home décor, furniture, and architectural and design elements.  

The Green Product Award recognizes products and services which are outstanding in design, innovation and sustainability.  Out of 1,500 entries from 50 countries, 200 entries were chosen as nominees for the Award’s 14 categories.  Five finalists per category were selected, and the top three received awards. 

Aside from the New Materials category, the other categories were: Architecture, Building Design, Consumer Goods, Fashion, Initiatives, Interior and Lifestyle, Kids, Kitchen, Mobility, Packaging, Personal Care, Sport, and Workspace.

NaturescastⓇ now forms part of Green Award’s “top 100 products for a more sustainable life.”  In 2015, it received the Gold Invention Award in Geneva, Switzerland, and in 2019,  earned a Cradle to Cradle (sustainability) certification. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pedro and Catherine Delantar are the forces behind Nature’s Legacy Eximport Inc. A B-Corp certified company, Nature’s Legacy meets standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency, as assessed by the nonprofit B Lab.