19 August 2005 – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the diversity of Philippine culture was promoted during the Pistahan Parade and Festival 2005 held on 14 August 2005 in San Francisco.

The Consul General said that “the participation of the Filipino community in events such as this served to promote the diversity of Philippine culture.”
 
Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez led the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General and its attached agencies in participating at the festival. They joined artists and members of the community in celebrating the event.

In coordination with the Department of Tourism and Department of Trade, the Philippine Consulate was able to come up with a float featuring Philippine ecological landmarks, including symbols of the country’s exotic flora and fauna. The children represented the animals and flowers that are indigenous to the country. The Philippine Consulate Choir rendered Filipiniana songs to the enthusiastic crowd of more than 1,000.

The presence of the Consulate members and their families in their colorful attire along the streets of the city reinforces their solidarity with the Filipino community in the city and the Bay Area. The parade passed through a major artery in San Francisco known as Market Street and ended in the Yerba Buena Gardens, which is the sight of many famous cultural activities in the Bay Area.

This annual event, which was sponsored by the Filipino-American Arts Exposition, is   considered the Filipino counterpart of the famous parades of the city like the Chinese  New Year Parade, Cinco de Mayo and the Saint Patrick’s Parade. END