via The Freeman, 26 June 2024: A Filipino perspective on Brunei’s Royal Regalia Museum showcases the nation’s royal heritage, including gifts from world leaders. Notable items from the Philippines highlight cultural ties, and genealogical research reveals connections between Filipino and Bruneian royalty.
We have a very long history with the Sultanate of Brunei, even kinship. That kinship between the Bruneians and the Filipinos is still clearly seen today. Everyone I met and interacted with in my short visit to the country was welcoming. In many restaurants and shops, I often heard staff speaking in Cebuano and Tagalog, which makes sense as there were approximately more than 23,000 Filipino residents and workers in Brunei as of 2023. In 2023, Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio joined the Filipino community to commemorate the 125th Philippine Independence, where in her address to hundreds of Filipinos she emphasized the importance of taking pride in being Filipino in a nation that provided thousands of Filipinos a second home.
History shows us that our relationship with many nations stretch back centuries. We must always practice tolerance and openness in dealing with our neighbors, to allow us a more peaceful and meaningful relations with other countries.
Source: Pride and discovery in Brunei
