FUN Philippines Festival July 23-24

Volume 3, Issue No. 48

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .

 

Our latest as of Thursday, April 28, 2022 

~ For the first time in more than two years, Filipinos and other revelers from across Canada, the United States, and the Philippines will have an in-person, face-to-face interaction with one another in light to moderate summer heat during the "FUN Philippines Toronto Street Festival" on July 23-24 in the city's Little Manila neighborhood. FUN here might as well be the acronym for Filipinos Unwind Nicely for its promise of a "positive, happy, vibrant, colorful" event.

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JULY 23-24 IN TORONTO'S LITTLE MANILA

Filipinos Unwind Nicely in Summer Fest

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“Enjoy life! Celebrate life! Sit back and relax to the finest moments of your life.” – Unknown

TORONTO - With a view to promoting the Philippines and not just one part of it, a community-based organization is launching what it calls "FUN Philippines Toronto Street Festival" at the very epicenter of Filipino communal and commercial activities at the junction of Wilson Ave. and Bathurst St. in this city's North York district. 

The festivities of culture, entertainment, fellowship, and food along a one-kilometer stretch of Bathurst St. in the Little Manila neighborhood take place on the weekend of July 23-24, according to published announcements by the Philippine Legacy and Cultural Alliance (PLACA).

While the venue sounds familiar, FUN Philippines' similarity with Taste of Manila (ToM) festivals ends there. ToM is already defunct - dead in the water, as one might say - since two years ago and is being desperately revived by three purported not-for-profit organizations whose only track record was stealing film footage of past ToM events from the Filipino Web Channel. 

(Background video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_398v7dDQhQ. Full stories at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/04/lies-incompetence-teem-in-proposed-2022.html and https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/04/who-exactly-is-going-to-run-2022-taste.html).

Chaired by Lino Eroma, PLACA is the non-profit organization responsible for the unprecedented success of the 2019 ToM. Prior to that, it had undertaken two community events - the flag-raising ceremony at Bathurst-Wilson Parkette and the Filipino Heritage Month in Scarborough. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la7FFScjnEQ). From February through March 2022, PLACA also had a weekly virtual presentation - the Filipinos Making Waves Festival (facebook@placatvtoronto).

"Colourful and vibrant parades will make their way on Saturday and Sunday showcasing Philippine regional festivals that even the visitors can participate in," PLACA said in announcing FUN Philippines this week.

That FUN is spelled in capital letters makes the emphasis evident. To me, it means either one, or all three, of these: Filipinos Unwind Nicely, Filipinos Unwind Noisily, and Filipinos Unwind Now. 

Whatever one chooses, the prospect of full enjoyment is there . . . in a smorgasbord of Filipino cuisine and native delicacies either in dine-in restos and food booths; live music, street dancing, and face-to-face conversations with friends and kindred folks over summer favorites like halo-halo, sago-gulaman, pineapple, coconut, boba, among others.

FUN (or Fun, yes, pun intended), is expected to be a happy outburst of pent-up energy from over two years of isolation, lockdowns, quarantine, and physical distancing prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. - rpm

Here is PLACA's press statement posted on Facebook:

FUN Philippines derives inspiration from Philippine tourism campaigns as it seeks to address the need for inclusivity and true representation to mainstream Canada and internationally through its event name.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. But the country's vibrant culture spreads in more than 7,000 islands, with each region offering its unique set of culture through distinct dialects, cuisine, values and activities.

Colorful and vibrant parades showcasing Philippine regional festivals will make its way on both days. Lively street activities, cultural installations and live entertainment will complete the festive atmosphere.

Through a continued partnership with the largest Philippine media company globally, TFC or The Filipino Channel will bring celebrities and performers from the Philippines. Well-loved local performers from Canada will also entertain the festival visitors through a concert and street party.

FUN Philippines hopes to encourage reconnection between and among families and friends after the pandemic, while also supporting participating local businesses recover and thrive.

FUN is positive, happy, vibrant, colorful - everything that the event is and aims to be. (Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved).