PIDC 2006 events start in style

PIDC 2006 events start in style

The Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) recently held its much anticipated Grand Philippine Pageant at the John Bassett Theatre. The event was the first of its kind with winners in four different categories. Congratulations to all the participants:

Ylynne Enriquez, Miss Junior Philippines 2006; Jessica Silva, Miss Junior Philippines 1st runner up; Miss Philippines Tourism – Junior, Jacqueline Lacsina, Rachel de Castro, Monica Labuguen and Natalie Rosil.
Monica de Leon, Miss Teen Philippines 2006; Angelique Esguerra, Miss Teen Philippines 1st runner up; Miss Philippines Tourism -Teen, Vanessa Tillner and Marian Tabancura.

Scott Brown, Mister Philippines 2006; Joshua Moralejo, Mr. Philippines 1st runner up; Mr. Philippines Tourism, Ben San Juan, Vincent Villanueva and Fritz Luther Pino.

Jackie Santos, Miss Philippines 2006; Veronica Delumpa, Miss Philippines 1st runner up; Miss Philippines Tourism, Keshia Papasin and Joanna Bongolan.

Other special award winners can be found in the PIDC website.

The following week, the fourth annual Little Miss Philippines pageant was held at the Korean Cultural Centre and was also dubbed a resounding success. The results are as follows:

Little Miss Philippines 2006, Ranielle Macapagal; 1st runner up, Celine Flores; 2nd runner up, Monique Murphy; Best in Gown, Kathleen Garcia; Best in Talent, Celine Flores.

PIDC helped celebrate Philippine Independence Day with the biggest black tie event of the year, the Philippine Independence Day Gala. Held in cooperation with Kalayaan, this swank affair was held at the Double Tree International Plaza and featured the region of Visayas and was attended by distinguished television personalities such as Jojo Chinto and Kris Reyes from City TV.

PIDC invites everyone to the largest Filipino community picnic in the Greater Toronto Area – “Salu-salo sa Earl Bales.” It will be held at Earl Bales park located at Bathurst just south of Sheppard on Saturday, June 17. The event is free starting at noon and continues throughout the day with non-stop entertainment from local Filipino-Canadian artists and bands. Also included in the festivities is a volley ball tournament sponsored by the Toronto Police Services and a parade of participating associations.
In July, the Mabuhay Cup Basketball Tournament will be held at the U of T Athletic Building on July 15 and 16. This annual event, now in its third year, has grown even more with 18 participating teams. For 2006, the addition of a female division has expanded the event further. This all-star competition gathers the best Filipino-Canadian athletic associations vying for the coveted Cup.

The hottest event of the summer keeps getting better. Don’t miss the Mabuhay Philippines Toronto Summer Festival on July 29th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Hall A. The event, co-presented by Rogers Wireless, is the largest celebration of Philippine heritage and culture in Canada. Spend the day at the festival and enjoy an early morning mass, a parade of participating Filipino-Canadian associations, non-stop entertainment, Philippine cuisine and sweets, a traditional Santacruzan, raffle draws and more. It features the Philippine Chamber of Commerce trade show with over 100 participating vendors.

Also, long-time media personality, Ms. Tina Monson Palma, will be at the festival to bring awareness to her cause: the Bantay Bata children’s charity. This year’s special performer is Canadian Idol finalist and the show’s current roving reporter – Elena Juatco. Tickets are only $10, children under 10 are free.
PIDC is proud to announce the launch of their new and improved website. Now, everything you need to know about all PIDC events are available on-line including photos from past years, entry forms and ticket information.

In addition, you can purchase your tickets and or vendor booths for the Mabuhay Philippines Toronto Summer Festival on-line using the secure method of pay-pal. An added feature to the site is a community calendar where all associations and organizations are invited to post their event free of charge. It will be a comprehensive list of what is happening in the community.

Check out www.pidctoronto.com. You can also email at mabuhay_festival@rogers.com or call (416) 834-9151 for additional details.

(PRESS RELEASE)