Independence Day Parade and Street Fair Commences Celebration of PH Independence in New York City
Officers and Staff of the Philippine Consulate General, PH Mission to the UN, and PH Center Management Board dance their way to Madison Avenue. (Photo by Boyet Loverita)
NEW YORK 13 June 2018 – The annual Philippine Independence Day Parade and Street Fair was successfully held on Madison Avenue in New York City on 03 June 2018.
Jointly organized by the Philippine Consulate General New York and the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (PIDCI), the events drew thousands of spectators, both Filipino and non-Filipino in the US tristate area.
This year’s parade was participated in by 85 Filipino-American community organizations in the US Northeast. Some of them showcased festivals in the Philippines. The parade was highlighted by the colorful and festive Manggahan cultural performers from the province of Guimaras and the Dinagyang Warriors from Iloilo.
A number of Philippine and U.S. officials joined the parade, including U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney from New York’s 12th congressional district and Grace Meng from New York’s sixth district, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano’s representative Ambassador Claro S. Cristobal, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville C. Tate, Honorary Grand Marshal and retired Ambassador Mario L. De Leon, Jr., Guimaras Representative Lucille Ledesma-Nava, Guimaras Governor Samuel T. Gumarin, Iloilo City Mayor Jose S. Espinosa III, and Mahwah, New Jersey Councilor Jonathan Wong.
Manhattan Regional Representative Aries Dela Cruz, New York Power Authority President and CEO Gil Quinones presented a plaque each New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio to Ambassador Romualdez and PIDCI President Antero Martinez, in recognition of the contributions of Filipino New Yorkers in enhancing every facet of life in New York City and their efforts to share the Philippines’ vibrant heritage and culture to the city’s diverse residents and visitors.
A street fair and cultural show at the east side of Madison Square Park capped the festivities. Several Filipino-American restaurants and stores took part in the street fair that featured Philippine cuisine and products.
The cultural show highlighted performances of special guests Leo Martinez, Geneva Cruz, and a selection of the East Coast’s finest local Filipino talents.
Prior to the parade, the Filipino community gathered for the flag raising ceremony and thanksgiving mass at the Philippine Center in New York. END
Flag raising ceremony in front of the Philippine Center New York along 5th Avenue. (New York PCG photo)
Festival performances during the Cultural Show at Madison Square Park. (Photos by Boyet Loverita)
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/