The Israel Embassy in the Philippines on Friday commemorated the 67th anniversary of its ties with the Philippines through a tree-planting activity, naming four after Filipinos killed during the Hamas attack in Israel last year.
Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss told reporters on the sidelines of a tree-planting activity at San Francisco High School in Quezon City that in Jewish tradition, tree is a “strong symbol for hope, peace, prosperity because when you’re planting a tree, you’re actually planting for the future.”
Four of the trees planted in a garden were named after the Filipinos who were killed during the Hamas attack in Israel in October 2023 — Grace Cabrera, Loretta Alacre, Angelyn Aguirre and Paul Castelvi.
They were caregivers who did not to abandon their duties during the attack.
“Because we’re still in the middle of a war and we have Filipino casualties who were murdered by Hamas in Gaza, I want us to remember those victims and to give a message to the families and to the Filipino people that we’re standing here together as one and we’ll not forget them,” Fluss said.
The embassy planted 67 trees to signify the “strong and flourishing” years of friendship between the Israel and the Philippines.
“We have a park in Israel. We call them Park of Great Britain, Canada Park, US Park, parks where trees are planted to commemorate relationships between Israel and countries,” Fluss said.
He noted that tree-planting is also an effective strategy to combat the global challenges posed by climate change.
“One of the easiest thing to do as individuals, which is not a big project, we simply go plant trees, we are saving the planet. It also provides sustainability,” he added.
Under President Manuel Quezon’s Open Door Policy, the Philippines welcomed 1,300 Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi persecution in 1938.
In 1947, the Philippines voted in favor of the establishment of the State of Israel as the homeland for the Jews.
The formal diplomatic relationship between the Israel and the Philippines was established in 1957, further solidifying bilateral ties. (PNA)
