Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

IT IS June again, and for Filipinos in the East Coast, it only means one thing: the much-awaited Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City.

This Sunday, June 6, thousands of Filipino and Filipino-American revelers will descend upon Madison Avenue to celebrate the declaration of Philippine Independence through a trio of events: the all-day Independence Day Street Fair; the Cultural Festival; and the 2010 Philippine Independence Day Parade led by Grand Marshals Benjamin H. and Dr. Zenaida E. Santos.

New York’s annual commemoration has grown by leaps and bounds from its inception in 1990, and for more than the last 15 years it is now proudly hailed by Filipinos around the world as the largest celebration of Philippine Independence outside of the Philippines.

"This year’s parade will be as wholesome, historic and spectacular as the previous years, if not better. Every year, leaders and volunteers of PIDCI aspire to provide a parade and celebrations better than the previous years. This year’s members of the Board of Directors and numerous volunteers have been turning nights into days to make sure that we are able to give our kababayans the best display of Filipino cooperation and talents," said Dr. Bernie Dela Merced, president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) when asked about what parade and festival participants can expect from the day-long festivities.

The day’s celebration opens with a 9:00 a.m. flag-raising ceremony at the Philippine Center (at 556 Fifth Avenue, between 45th and 46th Street in Manhattan), followed by an Independence Day Mass. While this is happening, hectic preparations are going on a stretch of Madison Avenue from 23rd Street to 39th Street.

The Street Fair opens at 10am on Madison Avenue from 24th to 26th streets with Filipino food galore at the corporate and merchants’ booths. The Independence Day Parade opens with brief ceremonies on Madison Avenue directly above 38th Street, and at 1pm starts to wind down until the marchers, marching bands, floats, etc. pass a Reviewing Stand on the East Side of the Avenue between 30th and 29th Streets before turning off onto 27th Street for dispersal.

In the meantime, at about 2 pm, the Cultural Festival opens on an open-air stage set up in the middle of the Avenue just north of 23rd Street.

"I believe that the PIDCI parade and celebrations should serve as the venue and medium to showcase the best in the Filipino. Thus, we are showcasing Filipino achievers in the performing arts such as Sarah Geronimo, Christian Bautista, and Carlo Orosa. Filipino achievers in communications and media such as TV hosts Hazel Sanchez of CBS 2 News and Katherine Creag of Fox 5 News will participate. And if his hectic schedule permits, Filipino Boxing Legend, now also Congressman-elect, Manny Pacquiao, will grace this year’s parade," Dela Merced added.