“If you’re not in the parade, you watch the parade. That’s life.” –Mike Ditka

This year’s Philippine Independence Day Parade, which runs along New York City’s Madison Avenue, will be without a Dinagyang Festival delegation this year. In addition, organizers, the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc., have yet to confirm if there will be any participation by Ilonggo groups this year.
Last year, outgoing Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III took part in the festivities, where the Dinagyang Festival, along with Guimaras’ Dinagyang Festival, were represented. There was also an Iloilo City Trade Mission and investment forum that toured the east coast of the United States.
That year, the team, led by Philippine Council of Management Research Institute, Inc. president and project coordinator, Dr. Emily Noserale Hagad, was comprised of Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava; Executive Assistant and Commercial Diplomat Rex Aguado; Iloilo City Local Economic Enterprise Officer Jose Ariel Castañeda; Iloilo City Planning and Development Office Coordinator Jose Roni Penalosa; West Visayas State University College of Mass Communications dean, Dr. Carmencita ‘Menchie’ Robles; University of the Philippines Visayas Vice Chancellor Mary Ann Gumban; Iloilo Business Park-Megaworld Sales Director Carla Margarita Perez; Eon Group of Companies founder and Iloilo Trade and Investments Board co-chair Felicito Tiu; StackTrek Enterprises, Inc. founder and CEO Billy Shung Hei Yuen; Rosita Celiz of the Iloilo City Mayor’s Office; Secretariat Chief Florence Hibionada; and journalists Tara Yap of the Manila Bulletin and Herbert Vego of Panay News.
Those involved with the Iloilo City Trade Mission and investment forum included Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iloilo Chapter Exhibitors’ Committee chair Alma May Tayo, City Tourism Operations Officer Florence King Haro Erlano, and Sheena Julienne Galon of the Iloilo City Tourism and Development Office.
Also involved in last year’s events included Executive Assistant Jojo Castro; City Engineer Bobby Divinagracia; and Iloilo City National High School principal, Dr. Blesilda V. Floro.
It is not clear if Espinosa’s loss in the recent mayoral race impacted the city’s participation in this year’s Independence Day celebration in New York City.

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Alex P. Vidal, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo./WDJ