By TAMBI WYCOCO

The first of two homestretches is here! Fresh from the success of her series of fund-raising parties, the most recent one of which was the Grand Marshal Night last May 13, Grand Marshal Dr. Linda R. Pelayo approaches her biggest day yet — the Philippine Independence Day Parade on Sunday, June 5.
From its modest start in 1990, the annual Philippine Independence Day commemoration has grown to its unprecedented size and scope.

Today, it is proudly hailed as the largest celebration of Philippine independence outside of the Philippines. The 2005 parade is part of the commemoration of the 107th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence.

At the head of this year’s parade is Dr. Pelayo who was the unanimous choice of the board of directors of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), planner, organizer, manager and presenter of the festivities that make up the months long celebration.

And because the trio of major events of Philippine Independence Day — the street fair, the parade and the cultural festival — take place this year ahead of the Independence Ball, they constitute the first homestretch — the second one being the Ball a week later on Saturday, June 11.

Here’s what’s on tap for June 5 — to start off the whole day of festivities is an 8:30 a.m. flag-raising ritual immediately followed by an Independence Day mass at the Philippine Center (556 Fifth Avenue, between 45th and 46th Streets).

While this is going on, stretches of Madison Avenue and streets that cross these stretches are beginning to hum with activity: vendors, exhibitors and other street fair organizers and participants are preparing for the day’s business — the annual giant Philippine Independence Day street fair, on the avenue from 24th to 26th Streets, which opens for business at 10 a.m. Just like the annual commemoration, the street fair is much awaited, especially because it comes off like a miniature Filipino food festival.

Further up midtown, Independence Day parade participants: the marchers, marching bands, open cars, the floats and all, start looking for their places of assembly east and west of Madison Avenue to get ready to join the parade. It opens with ribbon-cutting and brief ceremonies on Madison Avenue just above 40th Street, after which, at the stroke of 12 noon, it takes off heading downtown.
Along the 13-block-long parade route, contingents and others stop very, very briefly in front of an elevated reviewing stand set up on the east sidewalk of the avenue between 28th and 29th Streets, before proceeding to the parade’s dispersal point at 27th Street.
As the parade ends, both participants and spectators spill out into the street fair and, a little later, at around 2:30 p.m. (weather permitting), to watch this year’s cultural festival. It features a variety of local and out-of-town performers, performing art groups, singers, dancers, etc.

At this writing, there are some 130 contingents of marchers, marching bands, floats, open cars, lines of VIPs listed as participants in the parade. And of course the parade showcases the two main stars of the 107th independence anniversary commemoration: at the head — the grand marshal, and bringing up the rear for some kind of a finale number, the 2005 “Diwa ng Kalayaan” Kristine “Kristle” Glori, riding her own special float, all by herself.
Preceding the “Diwa ng Kalayaan” float is the float bearing her court of Filipina beauties: first runner-up titlist “Miss Filipino American” Stephanie Razon; second runner-up “Hiyas ng Pilipinas” Rhoda Mangaser; and the “Bituin” titlists: “Bituin ng Luzon” Charise Shively, “Bituin ng Visayas” Angelica Atendido and “Bituin ng Mindanao” Ilona Bianca “Ivy” Legaspi.

More than 50 food and merchandise vendors, corporate exhibitors and others are in the street fair. About 14 of these are food vendors led by popular New York eateries Krystal’s Café of Manhattan and Queens, and Elvie’s Turo Turo; and New Jersey’s Filipiniana, Frietz Bakeshop, Pistahan, Apolo, Sinugba, Mayon Grill, Mang John and others.
And how about the cultural festival? Street fair and cultural festival chair Dr. Boy Pangan has put together a full-packed package of singers, dancers, bands, etc., to regale everyone with a solid three-hour dose of entertainment doled out from the open stage built north off 23rd Street.

Who are these? Golda dela Merced, Edmund Nalzaro, Grace Antonio, Jay Legaspi, Alfa Garcia, Jing, Mark Romero, Sigh Robes, Anna Cristina Gomez, Jade, Spitten Cullahs Rap Group and NewGen Dance Group.
Emmanuel Palatulan, Earl Badiola, Cristina Aldecoa, FAMAR Choir, Monique Uriarte, Vina Joy Verzosa and Friends Dance Group, Pittsburgh Dance Group, Philippine Folk Arts Dance Group (Philadelphia), and Hiyas ng Silangan Dance Troupe of Connecticut.
The bands are Breakin’ 100 Band, Ramini Band, Merkabah Band, Tres Band-Connecticut, RAM Band, House of Straw and HYDRANT Band.

Now about homestretch number two — it’s here too. And this is for the Philippine Independence Ball on June 11 (7 p.m. reception) at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton New York (Avenue of the Americas, between 53rd and 54th Streets). It’s dinner and dancing up to the first hour of the following morning, 1 a.m. Briefly highlighted by a special program at the stroke of midnight to, sort of, mark the 107th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence.

Invitations to the Ball are still available for a donation of $100 per person. The attire is Filipiniana or formal.

For information or invitations, call PIDCI president Nimia Lacebal at (973) 338-4669, vice president Gani Puertollano (908) 964-5473 or (908) 964-9901, this writer (212) 420-0145, Dr. Baby Bleza (516) 398-2511, Dr. Rommel Rivera (610) 892-2712, Arnie Rosario (203) 877-7260, Sofie Abad (718) 849-4581, Lolita Compas (212) 777-6423 or (212) 995-6134, Raul Estrellado (201) 262-3644, Dr. Boy Pangan (631) 242-1837, Wilson Verzosa (201) 387-6046, Philip Carreon (212) 677-6520, Dr. Angie Cruz (212) 807-0484, Dr. Ben Ileto (516) 433-2338, Nanette Sering Wright (212) 787-8795, Independence Ball chair Monina Tan Latuja (732) 583-8293 or (732) 687-8346, co-chairs Juliet Payabyab (718) 278-6747 or (212) 647-2297, or Debbie Magno (203) 933-1661.

Let’s all celebrate these events of the 107th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence. See you all at the parade, street fair and cultural festival.

And on the eve of the anniversary, let’s all dine and dance at the Philippine Independence Ball.