Page 24 - 2017 JAN-JUN - KAAKBAY

24 January to June
2017

Philippine Consulate General in New York Holds
Independence Day Reception

The Philippine Consulate General in New York led by
Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega hosted a formal reception
th
commemorating the 119 anniversary of Philippine Independence
on 12 June 2017.

The reception held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine
Center in New York was attended by 200 guests from the Consular
Corps, business community, Filipino-American Community,
academe, tourism and travel industry, media, arts and culture
sectors.

Among the notable guests included Manhattan Borough President Ms. Gale Brewer, Consuls General from ASEAN
Countries, Incoming President of the Society of Foreign Consuls of New York Raushan Yesbulatova, Consul General of
Kazakhstan, Tony and Grammy-winning producer Jhett Tolentino, Councilman Salvador Deauna of Bergenfield, New
Jersey, and past Filipino-American Young Leaders Delegates from New York.

A brief cultural program featuring singer-actor Noel Lopez represented the Philippines at the 2017 World Cup of
Performing Arts in California, the Kayumanggi Choral, and the Mutya Dance Company was presented for the guests.

The reception refreshments consisted of special Filipino and Philippine fusion dishes from the participating
establishments in the 2017 Filipino Restaurant Week. Drinks were provided by Tanduay Asian Rum and Mansi, a new
Philippine-owned company specializing in calamansi juice for the US market.

Guests were also invited to view the ongoing exhibit “Maestrong Pilipino” and the miniature couture pieces of
designer John Ablaza at the Philippine Center Lobby Gallery.

Consul General Theresa Dizon- L-R Mike Ang and Mr. Darren
De Vega, (R) with Manhattan The Mutya Dance Company performs a The Kayumanggi Chorale renders song Friedman of Tanduay Rum with
Borough President Gale Brewer suite of dances numbers. Consul General Dizon-De Vega

Queens, New York Commemorates Philippine Independence Day
The Borough of Queens in New York, one of the most ethnically diverse
places in the world and the area with the largest concentration of Filipinos and
Filipino-Americans in the US Northeast, celebrated Philippine Independence
Month at Queen’s Borough Hall on June 22, 2017.

The commemorative program included the participation of Queens
Borough President Melinda Katz, Philippine Consul General Theresa Dizon-De
Vega, and members of the Filipino-American Community in Queens.

The event was co-sponsored by the Foundation for Filipino Artists,
United Staffing Registry, Kinding Sindaw, and Batangas Varsitarian.

Borough President Katz extolled the many contributions of the Filipino-American Community to the diversity of
Queens and handed out Certificates of Honor to Consul General Dizon-De Vega, Fr. Kevin Abels, Parish Priest of St.
Sebastian Church which has the largest Filipino-American congregation in Queens, Ms. Judith Fenster, young scholar Remy
Patrick C. Lavilla, Community Leader Feliza Matela, and young achiever Benjamin Angelo Santos.

A special Proclamation in honor of Ms. Aida Bartolome of the Foundation for Filipino Artists, a longtime leader and
cultural advocate, for her efforts at helping to hold the Philippine Day event every year was likewise given by the Borough of
Queens. The program also featured special numbers by the Foundation for Filipino Artists, Ms. Melody Cadda,a special
Philippine Hip Hop Number by Goldwyn, Edynne, and Nash, Kinding Sindaw, Julian Pigao, Tia Santos, Natalie Balanzat,
Julien Buenaventura, and Jessica Galam.