Website:  Filipino Center 

Dates:  June 14 to 15, 2008

Location:  Nathan Phillips Square 

Video clips:  pt. 1 , pt. 2 , pt. 3 

The Philippine community seems to be growing in size, based on the turn-out at Nathan Phillips Square with each year, to celebrate the annual independence of the Philippines as a distinct democratic country.  Organized by the Filipino Center on Parliament Street, Cabbagetown area, there are several organizations mostly cultural-based and businesses that have tents and tables, with community and independent performers supporting and promoting the Philippine culture to the mainstream.  Most of the audience are from the Philippine-Canadian group but some of the other Canadians attend or volunteer time.  Typical entertainment line-up of dancers and singers performing to North American mainstream hit tunes with contests for the best singer and dancer.  According to one host, it is becoming common for Philippine-Canadian singers to reach the top 10 of Canadian Idol singing competitions!  Recent fantastic news of Arnel Pineda becoming the lead singer of Journey, a popular North American band, should inspire those who like copying idols!  He was spotted on YouTube by the Journey band members who were looking for a replacement.  It would be good to integrate with the mainstream Canadian culture and other Canadians, considering Nathan Phillips is so centralized as a hotspot for entertainment outdoors, hosting other festivals such as the TD Canada Trust Jazz Fest and the Toronto Outdoor Art Festival.  Including other cultural groups to perform on stage would help integration and attract others to watch too.  Food tables of Philippine food snacks and meals had line-ups as usual and this year there were not enough seats for everyone so a lot of young people were standing around.  Family events are healthy outlets for any community because it shows bonding, keeps families together with wholesome entertainment, so youths avoid gangs and drugs with their anti-society and drug sub-culture mentality.    Maybe they can add movies some day too as another medium to promote culture as there is a big enough crowd to screen to. Multiculturalism is certainly better than racism and this event hopefully presents the Philippine-Canadian group in a positive way to anyone curious enough to pass or drop by.  

Refer to Arnel Pineda and Journey and YouTube