The Embassy of Belgium in Manila hosted a reception for King’s Day at the Belgian Residence, where guests from the diplomatic corps, the Holy See, Philippine government officials, media and other embassy partners were invited.

Ambassador Michel Parys delivered welcoming remarks, highlighting the long-standing and fruitful bilateral relations between the Philippines and Belgium.

He also mentioned the benevolence Belgium has shown in the past toward the Philippines, including as recently as last year.

“[Belgium] allocated $2 million to the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, that was the first to respond to Typhoon ‘Odette.’”

Parys also reaffirmed the ties of Belgium to some local universities, such as the Belgian-founded St. Louis University in Baguio.

After his speech concluded with a warm thank you, the night’s festivities began. The guests experienced the true graciousness of their Belgian hosts, as they enjoyed the wine and food. The night was a smashing success, one that will surely be remembered by the guests for weeks to come. —contributed INQ