Philippine Independence Day Council (Toronto)

PIDCs MABUHAY PHILIPPINES FESTIVAL / COMMUNITY PARADE OF FIESTAS 2016 IN TORONTO

By Susan Llanera
Photography by Floro Virtucio and Larry Torres
Toronto-Canada
September 20, 2016



" The Best of the Best " PIDC Delivered its Signature Event the "Mabuhay Philippines Festival"

Toronto-September 3-4: PIDC's "Community Parade of Fiestas", held on Sunday, September 4th with over 300 participants from the Leaders of the Community to various Associations around the GTA and beyond led by MP Marco Mendicino, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Consul General Rosalita Prospero, PIDC President Norma Carpio, Miss International 2013 Ms. Bea Rose Santiago, Ben Corpuz, Parade Coordinator, and PIDC Board of Directors and Council of Leaders and Philippine Heritage Band (PHB).

Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC)'s signature event, the 18th annual "Mabuhay Philippines Festival" delivered another extraordinary addition to Toronto's summer festival line up. "SINING" means "Art" was this year's theme.



You have seen the best of the best of our Local Filipino-Canadian talents from the amazing rare performances of Belinda Corpuz with Ann Paula, Josie de Leon, JDL School of Performing Arts, Chyrell Samson & friends, Arlene Paculan, Broken Bamboo, Marylou Malicdem and the Juan Tomas Band, Kindred Culture, Fienne Mendoza, Exhale Band, Trinity, Carlos Bulosan Theatre, Ryan Kelly-Martin, Ryan Orlando, Sound of Fate, Kristianne Pascual or 'Tin Tin', PIDC Pageant Alumni, Dance to the Rhythm Dancers, Sosa Line Dancers, Rhon Rose Martial Arts, Elle, Berlane Gavino, Trumpet Challenge Competition, Southeast Cartel, Luv2Dance, Giggle Gang, York Muai Thai Arts, Negresne Dancers, Jorja Orbilla, Step by Step Latin Line Dancers, 7Sould, and The RiZe, ably coordinated by Festival Chair, Karen Pascual-Binaday. The two-day festival was held on September 3-4, 2016 at Nathan Phillips Square, right in the heart of downtown Toronto.

This year's Fashion Show, PIDC President, Norma Carpio, featured the creations by Internationally-renowned Designers, Aisha and Jaki Penalosa, from Iloilo City, Philippines; Kenneth Barlis from San Diego, California; and Merriam Goldberg from Stouffville, Ontario with Bea Rose Santiago, Miss International 2013, as the feature Model. The Designers' array of intricate creations have surpassed the presentations from previous years, as promised. Working with this year's theme, we were awed with their stunning collections and left the audience breathless and has inspired them to visit the Philippines.



The Mabuhay Philippines Festival had something more to offer for everyone including different  exhibitors that showcased their various products and top Filipino food vendors that served their specialties and best cuisine. Coordinated by Minda Neri and Suzy Llanera, the exhibitors and food vendors were happy, contented and said that they can't wait to come back next year's festival.

PIDC not only has transformed and immersed ourselves in the sights and sounds of authentic Philippines, but also PIDC brought to life the  "Community Parade of Fiestas", a street parade right here in Toronto, Canada. Canadian MP Marco Mendicino, Toronto's Mayor John Tory, Philippine Consul General Rosalita Prospero, PIDC President Norma Carpio, Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago, and Philippine Heritage Band (PHB), led the parade with over 300 participants, Groups and various Associations, including the Santacruzan joined in the fanfare. We have watched and experienced the annual celebration depicting the different regions of the Philippines, which was the culmination of the Mabuhay Philippines Festival this summer. The colourful parade, coordinated by Ben Corpuz, was held on Sunday, September 4^th, 2016.

Proudly supported by Celebrate Ontario and presented by the Toronto Dominion Bank, this event highlighted the Philippine Fashion Show, Community Parade of Fiestas and Santacruzan, that spectators did not want to miss. The Mabuhay Philippines Festival event is organized annually by PIDC to showcase the arts, culture, heritage and talents of the Filipinos in Canada.


Philippine Consul General Rosalita Prospero captured it all, "This is a day for us to demonstrate the Filipino spirit of bayanihan. This is also the day for us to showcase our cultural heritage and our unique cultural tradition", she said on a second day of two-day Mabuhay Philippines Festival event, "and to our Canadian families", she beckoned, "please take the time to discover our country, our people and the best that we have to offer", as quoted by Romeo Marquez. (ssl)
PIDCs Mabuhay Parade 2016 in YouTube:
Mabuhay parade video courtesy of Filipinowebchannel- Romy Marquez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tJzmGIeTXw&feature=em-share_video_user


Next PIDC event is the Mabuhay Cup Golf Tournament to be held on Sunday, October 2, 2016 at Lionhead Golf & Country Club, 8525 Mississauga Rd, Brampton, ON. Contacts: Roy Start at 647-705-1899 / Jun Villaruz at 416-826-6077 / Karen Pascual-Binaday at 416-897-6697 [email protected] / Visit us: www.pidctoronto.com