15^th Annual Filipino Fiesta Held in Hawaii

22 May 2007 — Acting Head of Post Paul Raymund P. Cortes of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, USA reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the 15th Annual Filipino Fiesta was held on 12 May 2007 at the Kapiolani Park in Waikiki with "Halina't Magsaya sa Filipino Fiesta," (Come and Enjoy the Fiesta), as the event's theme.    

An estimated 5,000 spectators participated in this cultural celebration, which featured authentic Filipino food, entertainment and crafts from the diverse regions of the Philippines .  A regional village, highlighting many of the Philippines ’ ethnic traditions and arts, as well as business booths showcasing a variety of products and services were displayed at the park. A ‘Health Fair Booth,’ which provided free medical consultations and conducted traditional Filipino games for children, was also featured.

An added attraction of the event was the special performance of two well-known entertainers from the Philippines , Mr. Ogie Alcasid and Jaya.

Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr., together with his Filipino-American wife Vivian, joined the celebration to show his support for the Filipino community and its important contribution to Hawaii 's multi-cultural society.

Consul General Ariel Y. Abadilla spoke during the event and commended the organizers and supporters of the event for their deep appreciation of Filipino cultural heritage and for perpetuating this annual Filipino celebration.  The Consulate supported the event by setting up a consular information booth and giving out tourism promotional materials to promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination, and to increase awareness of Philippine culture for greater understanding and improved relations with various nationalities in Hawaii 's multi-ethnic society.

The Filipino Fiesta, considered to be Hawaii 's largest annual Filipino community celebration, was organized by the Filipino Community Center in cooperation with the Honolulu Filipino Junior Chamber of Commerce.  This annual event receives funding from the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) through its County Product Enrichment Program (CPEP), which supports community programs that represent the diversity, culture and values of Hawaii while helping to create a unique visitor experience in Hawaii . END

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