Global Kapamilya Summer of Love, Fun and Extravaganza Wraps Up with a Bang!
It was 50 years ago, when San Francisco witnessed the cultural celebration dubbed as the Summer of Love. This phenomenon is currently being celebrated around the City by the Bay. According to SFTravel.com, “Throughout 2017, San Francisco will revel in an exhilarating celebration of the most iconic cultural event in its history: the Summer of Love.” The website that provides information for travelers to San Francisco further adds that “nearly 100,00 free-spirited adventurers congregated in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood near Golden Gate Park to join a cultural revolution that created some of the era’s most memorable music, art, fashion and literature.”
This year, TFC has been celebrating its own summer of love through various fiesta celebrations around the world. Thousands have flocked to the different venues – whether in outdoor gardens or plazas, or indoor malls or auditoriums – in Asia, Middle East and North America.
As the sizzle of summer slowly surrenders to give way to the cool breeze of autumn, which is just around the corner, TFC culminates its colorful roundup of Philippine Independence Day celebrations and Sama Saya Kapamilya fiestas with a jam-packed crowd at the Yerba Buena Gardens swinging to heartthrob Sam Milby’s cover of Maroon 5’s “This Love,” and rising star Inigo Pascual’s “Dahil Sa’Yo.” The TFC Hour, emceed by Adobo Nation Host Ginger Conejero and Poca Rafael, was the climax to the two-day event of the Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival, which is tagged as the largest celebration of Filipino Americans in the U.S. It was a rocking afternoon of fun and games, songs and dances as the performers bantered and engaged with the energetic crowd.
All smiles on top of TFC’s parade float are special guest celebrities Sam Milby (right) and Inigo Pascual (left), with Adobo Nation hosts Lee Robin Salazar, Cheena Crab, and Ginger Conejero (2nd, 3rd & 4th from left), Adobo Nation correspondent Austin Castro (back row, left), BA Senior Reporter Henni Espinosa, BA Anchor Gel Santos-Relos, and BA correspondent Jared Bray (back row, 2nd, 3rd & 4th from left). (Photo courtesy of Haphi Llaneza.)
The crowd at the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco goes wild as Inigo Pascual serenades them during the TFC Hour. (Photo courtesy of Haphi Llaneza.)
In what has now become a standard parting shot at TFC “Sama Saya Kapamilya” events around the world – guest performers Sam Milby and Inigo Pascual, together with TFC Hour hosts Ginger Conejero and Poca Rafael, take a groupfie with the crowd at the Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival. (Photo courtesy of Haphi Llaneza.)
A Double Celebration for Canada
The Filipino Canadian community celebrated two special occasions: the 119th Anniversary of Philippine Independence, and the 150th Birthday of Canada. It was also a back-to-back celebration, starting with The Philippine Festival Mississauga at the Mississauga Celebration Square, followed by the Pista ng Bayan at the Memorial South Park in Vancouver, B.C. For both days, Kapamilya heartthrob Matteo Guidicelli was the featured celebrity.
The audience at Vancouver’s “Pista ng Bayan” enjoys every minute of the show, especially when Matteo Guidicelli came down from the stage to meet them up close and personal.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Canada Facebook Page.)
A Lookback at how Kapamilya in Middle East celebrated Philippine Independence Day
The Filipino communities in various countries in the Middle East celebrated Philippine Independence Day with back-to-back performances by the King of OPM Theme Songs Erik Santos and impressive Birit Queen Klarisse De Guzman.
Santos wowed the crowd at the BKS Club in Manama, Bahrain; at Al Falaj’s Hotel in Oman; and at the Philippine Consulate Office in Jeddah. While De Guzman performed to a very appreciative crowd at the Khalidiya Mall in Abu Dhabi. The events were co-presented by TFC and OSN.
The four Philippine Independence Day celebrations around Middle East also served as the launch of Global Tawag ng Tanghalan sa It’s Showtime. Hopeful ‘kababayans’ gave the performances of their lives as they participated in the on-ground auditions.
Klarisse De Guzman (center) is flanked to her right by the Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Constancio R. Vingno, Jr., and by Philippine Embassy officers and community leaders.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Middle East Facebook Page.)
King of OPM Theme Songs Erik Santos wows the crowd in (clockwise from top left) Jeddah, Bahrain, and Oman. (Photos courtesy of TFC Middle East Facebook Page.)
“Global Tawag ng Tanghalan” (GTnT) had a very successful kick-off in the Middle East. (Clockwise from top left) A contestant auditions in Abu Dhabi; GTnT auditioners await their turn; it is a long line at the GTnT auditions in Jeddah; a contestant in Jeddah sings his heart out. (Photos courtesy of TFC Middle East Facebook Page.)
Asia Pacific Celebrates Philippine Independence Day
Kapamilyas in the Asia Pacific region also lined-up their own festivities to honor and celebrate Philippine Independence Day in Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Stars of the hit teleserye “The Better Half” Shaina Magdayao and JC De Vera, together with funnyman Eric Nicolas, gave a high-energy show for the community at the KWC Fashion Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Kapamilya Fans’ Day was in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Taiwan kicked-off their celebration at the Yonghelubaoshi Riverside Park in Taipei with a Fun Run and a Zumbathon, followed by a concert with comedian Eric Nicolas and Soul Supreme KZ.
MOR 101.9 DJ Jhai Ho and multi-awarded singer Vina Morales kept the crowd on their feet at the SCAPE at the Orchard in Singapore.
Meanwhile, at the Edinburgh Place, Central, surrounded by the skyscrapers of
Hong Kong, the Filipino community grooved to the lively songs of the first winner of ABS-CBN’s reality show Pinoy Boyband Superstar – BoybandPH. The group is composed of Joao Constancia, Niel Murillo, Russell Reyes, Tristan Ramirez, and Ford Valencia. MOR 101.9 DJ Chacha showed off her hosting skills and her singing, too.
Shaina Magdayao, who stars as Camille in “The Better Half,” brings joy to the Filipino community in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of TFC Malaysia Facebook Page.)
A tender moment between “The Better Half’s” Rafael – JC De Vera – and an avid fan from the crowd. This brought smiles to the viewers around them.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Malaysia Facebook Page.)
The 119th Independence Day celebration in Taiwan started with a fun run in the morning.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Taiwan Facebook Page.)
Overseas Filipinos were all smiles during the photo session with Soul Supreme KZ and comedian Eric Nicolas at the “Sama Saya Kapamilya” event at Yonghelubaoshi Riverside Park.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Taiwan Facebook Page.)
MOR 101.9 DJ Jhai Ho and Ultimate Showgirl Vina Morales take a photo with the full-packed crowd at the SCAPE in Orchard, Singapore. (Photo courtesy of TFC Singapore Facebook Page.)
Aside from leading fun games and pumping up the audience, MOR 101.9 DJ ChaCha (right) also shows her singing prowess at the “Sama Saya Kapamilya” at the Edinburgh Place, Central in Hong Kong. (Photo courtesy of TFC Hong Kong Facebook Page.)
Some lucky Pinoys take a souvenir photo with MOR 101.9 DJ ChaCha and the five-member group BoyBandPH at the TFC photo booth during the “Sama Saya Kapamilya” in HongKong.
(Photo courtesy of TFC Hong Kong Facebook Page.)