The Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines commemorated the Republic of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day with a solemn flag-raising ceremony and a festive cultural program that brought together more than 350 Indonesians, their families, friends of Indonesia, and members of the diplomatic and Filipino community.
Cries of “Merdeka!”, “Dirgahayu, Indonesia!”, and “Long live Indonesia!” filled the Embassy courtyard as the Indonesian flag was hoisted while the anthem Indonesia Raya was sung with fervor, accompanied by the Indonesian Choir from the Adventist University of the Philippines.
The month-long celebration concluded with Syukuran, a thanksgiving gathering hosted by H.E. Ambassador Agus Widjojo and Mme. Ranny Widjojo. The program showcased Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage through performances by senior high school students from Al-Azhar School who presented the iconic Saman Dance of Aceh; the Kirana Teenage Choir from Surabaya, official participant in the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival 2025; performers from Universitas Negeri Surabaya; and select members of the Indonesian Diaspora Network in the Philippines.
As tradition dictates, the event also featured the Tumpeng ceremony — the iconic cone-shaped yellow rice centerpiece, prepared with coconut milk, turmeric, spices, and adorned with signature Indonesian dishes such as rendang, ayam goreng, urap, and semur.
In his keynote message, Ambassador Widjojo underscored Indonesia’s long-term vision of building a “Prosperous People” and its mission toward “Advanced Indonesia” in line with Golden Indonesia 2045 — the nation’s centennial goal of becoming a strong, independent, just, and prosperous country.
“I am confident that the spirit and fighting spirit of the heroes we have inherited can be our collective capital to overcome the challenges ahead,” the Ambassador said, rallying his countrymen to continue embodying the resilience and unity of the Indonesian people.
