PIDC MABUHAY PHILIPPINES TO CELEBRATE FILIPINO CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
By Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired
Toronto-Canada
November 23, 2020
The traditional spirit, scent and scene of Christmas are now upon us! Yes, folks! In joyful and holy celebration of this age-old tradition in the Christian world especially "sa ating Pilipinas", the Philippine Independence Day Council( PIDC) through its flagship program Mabuhay Philippines Festival-Part 2, will present a "Filipino Christmas Traditions " virtual event on December 5 & 6 , 2020 (Saturday and Sunday). The 3- hour celebration will cover proudly a potpourri of cultural and entertainment shows featuring traditional Filipino-centred "Paskohan" practices and activities.
Likewise, it will also trace historic events in our beloved country's faith-focused significant perspectives and developments. Among these are the celebration of the first Catholic mass in the islands, Chief Lapulapu's Battle of Mactan victory, traditional nativity scenes such as belenismo, simbang gabi, noche buena , parol, aginaldo-namamasko po!, puto bombong, hamonado, at lutong Pinoy, and other popularly valued family practices. The cultural presentation will also cover music and dance numbers fully choreographed and narrated by the PIDC Youth Group in "Kapaskohan" fashion.
Official video messages will come from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Immigration Marco Mendicino, MP for Scarborough North Shaun Chen, Philippine Ambassador Rodolfo Robles, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Philippine Consul General Orontes Castro, Ontario Court of Appeals Justice Steve Coroza, Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca, Solicitor-Barrister John Paul Saguil, ABS-CBN TFC Managing Director Jun Del Rosario and Miss Universe Philippine 2020 Rabiya Mateo.
Mabuhay Philippines Festival Chair and Founder Norma Carpio, PIDC President Ramon Estaris, World Financial Group Senior Executive Vice-Chair Agnes P. Miranda and Mabuhay Philippines Festival event chair Melnda Manlapaz are spearheading the development and delivery of the project. Engaged to develop, organize, and deliver the 3- hour live streaming program are several recognized and experienced event professionals and personalities in Ontario's Filipino-Canadian highly-discriminating community. Among them are Host & Program Director Cristina Carpio, Technical Director-Reel Vision Studios Awab Sattar, Creative & Musical Director Ramon Torralba, Program Coordinator Tess Torralba and a host of wonderful choreographers, artists, media, graphics, photo, visual, sound, IT, and technical consultants.
Serving to assist the event directors and program specialists as committee chairs, vice-chairs, coordinators, marketing, and finance directors are various PIDC Executive Officers & Board Directors, and members of Council of Leaders, PIDC Youth Group, Toronto's Finest Arts Centre( Melissa Joy Vitug), DLC Dancers(JC), and volunteers. Expected to show their musical talents are known professional and amateur performers in the foreign and local entertainment scenes, among others are Ed Arevalo, Scott Dion Brown, Simone Carpio, Kayleigh Cerezo, Alyssa Grace Datu, Ramon Estaris, Celine Grey, Vanj Guanlao, Nicolas Manlapaz, Danny Orbillo, Maria Panaligan, Chyrell Samson, Isabella Santiago, Dylan Sinclair, and many other promising singers, dancers, and entertainers.
The "Paskohan palabas" is being funded by the Federal government under the CSMARI Program and sponsored generously by TD-Toronto Dominion Bank, TFC-The Filipino Channel, Imperial World Inc., World Financial Group(WFG), and the Philippine Airlines The advertisers and vendors are SM Development, Dr. Solon Guzman, and FV Foods-Mel Galeon.
The event will be shown simultaneously on social media and video links and will be referenced too for catch-up, or repeat viewing via the PIDC website www.pidccanada.ca .
Please mark and save the dates of December 5 and 6, 2020. "Kaya, mga kababayan, halina at manood tayo para maki-saya at mai-pagmalaki natin ang ganito't natatanging Paskong kasayahan ng ating lahing Filipino".(Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired).