The Philippine Madrigal Singers (The Madz) serenading the Filipino community and Turkish friends at the Meryem Ana Catholic Church in Ankara (Embassy photo)
28 May 2025 – The Philippine Embassy in Ankara held an event entitled, “Spark*Connect*Empower: A Serenade for the Filipino Community and Turkish Friends” on 27 May 2025 at the Meryem Ana Catholic Church in Ankara. The highlight of the event was the concert of the internationally-acclaimed Philippine Madrigal Singers (The Madz).
About two hundred Filipino, Turkish, and foreign guests gathered for the celebration of this year’s Filipino-Turkish Friendship Day and the commemoration of the 127th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence Day.
In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Türkiye Henry S. Bensurto Jr., said that this year’s Independence Day, with the theme, “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan.” (“Freedom. Future. History”) is an opportunity to cherish the freedom fought for by our forefathers, the future that they dreamt for the nation and the history we aim to remember and honor. “Any Filipino that has exercised their freedom to plant their roots here, however short or long, contributes, in their own individual and collective way, to the future and history of the Philippines and Türkiye. I want to build on this by sparking a curiosity on our two peoples about our two culture and can connect our myriad peoples across cultures and generations that culminates in the empowerment of Filipinos and Turkish alike,” the Ambassador continued.
The cultural program opened with a prayer by Fr. Michael McGuckian of the St. Teresa Church in Ulus, Ankara. The Filipino community performers included a Flores De Mayo Procession consisting of members of the Fil-Turk Friendship and Solidarity Association, followed by song performances by Ms. Cecille Pungyan and Ms. Leahna Mae Guritan.
The main program started with the invocation led by Fr. Seraphin Ngoie Kazadi of the Meryem Ana Church. This was followed by the Philippine and Turkish National anthems and the remarks of Ambassador Bensurto and the guest of honor, Undersecretary Jainal T. Rasul, Jr. of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), who traveled all the way from the Philippines to meet the Filipinos in Türkiye.
The highlight of the program was the performance of The Madz, led by their Choirmaster Mark Anthony A. Carpio. During the first part of their concert, The Madz sang mostly religious songs, including “Prayer of St. Francis” and “O Sacrum Convivium” as an homage to the Filipino’s deep-rooted Catholic faith. The second part of the concert included their rendition of popular Original Pilipino Music (OPM). During the encore, they surprised the crowd with their rendition of “Pinoy Ako, Proud Ako” composed by Ambassador Bensurto. For their final song, The Madz performed “Kumukutikutitap” together with a video recording of the composer, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, conducting the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality City Orchestra during the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert held on 13 December 2024.
Founded in 1963 by National Artist for Music Professor Andrea O. Veneracion, the Madz are one of the most awarded choral groups throughout the world. They have been recognized by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace” and have also won top prizes in several prestigious international choral competitions. They also hold the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the highly venerated European Grand prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007) and the first Asian choir to be accorded the BrandLaureate Premiere Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (2012). END.
Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. giving his remarks (Embassy photo)
Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. (2nd from left) with Guest of Honor DMW Undersecretary Jainal T. Rasul, Jr. (3rd from left), Labor Attaché Adam A. Musa (2nd from right), DMW Director Julin Ambito Fermin (far left) and Ms. Jessa E. Gallenito of MWO Lebanon (far right). (Embassy photo)
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Emile Josef B. Garcia introducing the members of the Flores De Mayo Procession (Embassy photo)
Ms. Cecille Pungyan singing “Ibon Pitpit” (Embassy photo)
Ms. Leahna Mae Guritan singing “Ako Ay Pilipino” (Embassy photo)
Filipino community members perform the Itik-Itik dance (Embassy photo)
Guests watching The Madz perform (Embassy photo)
The Madz performing during this year’s Filipino-Turkish Friendship Day (Embassy photo)
