The Philippine Independence Day Parade or Philippine Day Parade in New York City, the world's largest outside Manila,[1] takes place annually in the United States along Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The parade is held on the first Sunday in June. Its main purpose is to create awareness of Philippine culture and to raise funds for charity projects in the Philippines and the United States.[2] The Philippine Independence Day Parade is increasingly being attended by both American politicians and Filipino celelebrities as well as diplomatic officials who are keenly aware of the significant and increasing political and economic power exerted by the Filipino diaspora in New York and neighboring New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.[3][4]
| Philippine Independence Day Parade | |
|---|---|
 Philippine Independence Day Parade 2013 banner, on Madison Avenue in New York City | |
| Also called | Philippine Day Parade, Parada ng Kalayaan |
| Observed by | Filipino people around the world, particularly Filipino Americans |
| Type | Filipino, Filipino American, Overseas Filipino Cultural |
| Significance | The celebration of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1898 |
| 2024 date | June 2, 2024 |
Philippine Independence, as a celebration in America, has gained cultural awareness prominently after the 21st century began. Earlier generations of Filipino immigrants did not celebrate Philippine Independence in significant ways. Philippine Independence Day is now widely celebrated among Filipinos in the United States and is now a major event for many Filipino Americans to rekindle their roots and heritage and to commemorate the June 1898 presentation of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain.
In many areas where there are significant Filipino American populations in the United States celebrate Philippine Independence in the month of June. The largest among Philippine Independence celebrations in the United States takes place in New York City every first Sunday of June. The Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City attracts over 200,000 people.
The 2024 Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City will take place on June 2, 2024 at Madison Avenue, following the tradition of the celebration being on the first Sunday of June. There was no parade in 2020 and 2021 as it went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other parts of the world
editPassaic, Jersey City, New Jersey
editSeveral celebrations dedicated to Philippine Independence are done throughout the world. An example of this would be a smaller annual Philippine Independence Day Parade held in early June in Passaic, New Jersey.[5] This parade is organized by a large Filipino and Filipino-American organization known as the Philippine Day Organizing Council (PDOC). Another major Philippine parade is held in New Jersey called the Philippine-American Friendship Day Parade in Jersey City, New Jersey, it is held every fourth Sunday of June to celebrate Philippine-American Friendship Day, which is July 4. The Philippine government declared July 4 every year as Philippine-American Friendship Day after the celebration of Philippine Independence Day was moved from July 4 to June 12.[6][7]
Toronto, Canada
editToronto hosts an annual Philippine Independence Day Celebration.[8]
San Francisco, California
editSan Francisco celebrates Philippine Independence Day annually at Union Square.[9] The Philippine flag is raised at the San Francisco City Hall every June 12 as a commemoration of the event and for San Francisco's large Filipino community.[10]
Seattle, Washington
editSeattle celebrates Philippine Independence Day through the "Pagdiriwang Festival," held every June at the Seattle Center.[11]
Past issues
editDiscrimination against attendees of the 2018 NYC Philippine Independence Day Parade
editNew York City rejected a formal complaint of discrimination and found no violation of the City zoning code when attendees of the June 3, 2018, Philippine Independence day parade were cleared from a designated New York City Madison Avenue public plaza on the parade route. The public plaza was then barricaded, patrolled by building security and access denied to the parade crowd. New York City officials, in rejecting the complaints filed by witnesses, offered no explanation why the largely Filipino crowd could not sit or stand in the public plaza which is designated to be open 24 hours for public use.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Philippine Independence Day Parade". PIDCI. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ "FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul". September 10, 2021.
- ^ "Philippine Independence Anniversary Commemoration, New York City". Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. in conjunction with the Philippine Consulate General in New York. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Crowds turn out for PH Independence Day parade in New York". Don Tagala, TFC News New York. June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ Denisa R. Superville (June 9, 2013). "Filipinos flock to Passaic to celebrate culture, independence". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ Marli Horwitz (June 21, 2013). "Philippine American Friendship Day parade and festival Sunday". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
- ^ Andrew Steadman (June 25, 2012). "Jersey City plays host to Philippine-American Friendship Day Parade and Festival". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
- ^ "pidctoronto — Philippine Independence Day Council-Toronto". Pidctoronto.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "Filipinos celebrate Philippine Independence Day at SF's Union Square". June 19, 2013.
- ^ "Philippine flag flies over San Francisco City Hall". June 13, 2012.
- ^ "Home". festalpagdiriwang.com.
- ^ "Manila Mail Exclusive: New York City Rejects Philippine Independence Day Parade Discrimination Claim". Manila Mail US. September 20, 2018.