Megan leads starry guests at the NYC Phl Independence Day Parade

For Filipinos in New York, one of the much-awaited events is the annual Philippine Independence Day Parade, this year to be held on June 1. It’s the 116th celebration and, according to Funfare’s NYC correspondent Felix Manuel, GMA (with GMA Pinoy TV/GMA Life TV) and TV5 (Kapatid5/Aksyon TV International) will be the official media partners of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. which is headed by Fe Martinez.

Felix said that 2013 Miss World Megan Young has confirmed her participation, leading the array of expected starry guests coming mostly from the two sponsor networks. (There’s a report that Megan is here on a quiet vacation and was recently seen having dinner at Haru Japanese restaurant in Pasig City with rumored boyfriend Mikael Daez and two female friends.)

Joining Megan and the star guests is newly-crowned Mrs. Kalayaan 2014 Josephine Vilar Rafael (with her runners-up). She’s a Medical Technology graduate from the Philippine Women’s University and currently resides in Long Island, New York. She was crowned by outgoing queen Rose Pacia LaBelle (from Elmhurst, Queens) and Consul General Mario Lopez de Leon Jr. Part of Josephine’s prize is a trip to the Philippines.

The big guessing game is which Kapatid and Kapuso stars are also joining the grand parade. According to Felix, he and his friends conducted a survey which revealed the names of stars Pinoy New Yorkers would like to see, among them Kapuso Dennis Trillo, Maricel Soriano, Tom Rodriguez, Lovi Poe, Alden Richards and Regine Velasquez; and Kapatid Juan Direction members, Daniel Matsunaga, Lucy Torres, Nora Aunor, Edgar Allan Guzman and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

“I’m sure they will be a great attraction during the parade along Madison Avenue,” said Felix. “The event usually attracts thousands of Filipinos not only in New York but from all over the East Coast.”

Tribute to Cecile Azarcon

Here’s another report from Felix, this time about the tribute last April 27 to renowned singer-composer Cecile Azarcon who celebrated her 35th year in the music industry.

“This is my very first time to perform here in New York and I am so excited,” Cecile told the audience during the show organized by Sounds Of Manila at the Peter N Orton Symphony Space in Manhattan, produced by Ronald Allan Labaguis and Grace Labaguis of Synergy Productions & Marketing, Inc.

“Cecile wowed the audience with her every song,” reported Felix. “Cecile said that she finished writing the song Lift Up Your Hands in a matter of minutes, saying that it was ‘divine inspiration’ that helped her. She also sang an unreleased composition called Awit Kay Lola which reduced the audience to tears. Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga drew sighs from the hopeless romantics in the audience.”

The occasion also served as the launch of Sounds Of Manila’s new CD titled SOM Sings Azarcon. The band performed several songs from the CD, as musical arranger Lorrie Ilustre joined them onstage.

Those who performed opening numbers were Tony Gado, Jared Martin, Arnel Arcedo and teen beauty queen Tiffany Viray.

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)