Celebrating Philippine Independence in NY the TV5 way

Every year, Filipinos in the US always look forward to the Philippine Independence Day celebration in New York as it gathers thousands of our kababayan for a day of festivities, entertainment and, of course, national pride. For the first time, TV5 International was the exclusive media partner of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI)  â€” yes, the Kapatid Network was the one and only Philippine network that was officially chosen to take part in the grand celebration — and TV5 was the only TV network with its own float during the much-awaited parade.

TV5 International president and CEO Claro Ramirez takes great pride in the exclusive media partnership with the PIDCI. “Being the event’s official media partner validates for us TV5 International’s continuous growth in North America,” he said.

TV5 brought delight to the thousands of Pinoys in New York who joined the Philippine Independence Day festivities. The Kapatid booth was such a hit, especially with its Augmented Reality feature wherein people were able to virtually interact with their chosen TV5 stars. “People were able to walk the red carpet with their favorite Kapatid stars such as Sharon Cuneta, Edu Manzano, Derek Ramsay, among many others. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience for them and they were amazed by the technology that enabled them to interact virtually with a celebrity of their choice,” explained TV5 International head of marketing Pie Basiao, who added that the Kapatid Network was the first Filipino company that brought the augmented reality system to an international Filipino event.

TV5’s float featured the main star of the Kapatid Network’s primetime comedy series Confessions of a Torpe, Ogie Alcasid. The multi-awarded singer-songwriter was a hit among fans as he waved throughout the parade onboard TV5’s grand mardi gras-themed float and during the cultural festival, wowing the crowd as he belted out his signature hits with people gamely singing along. “Throughout the parade, people were shouting â€˜Ogie! Ogie!’ and gamely sang with him when he performed,” shared Basiao. Reigning Miss World Megan Young, a former Kapatid talent, also graced the festivities.

“We really wanted to pull out all the stops to ensure that the attendees had a truly memorable experience. And we are very proud to be the first to introduce the Augmented Reality experience to our Kapatid in New York,” enthused Basiao.

The street fair along the famed Madison Avenue had a giant LED that was also airing some of TV5’s most-watched programs, which included the action-packed PBA games and Ganito Na Kami Ngayon, TV5 International’s first-ever originally-produced program. The cultural festival that was held after the parade also featured outstanding Pinoy talents as well as former celebrities who have relocated to the US, including Eddie Peregrina, Miguel Vera, Lirio Vital, David Pomeranz, Bessie Badilla, Craig and Samantha Campos and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle. There were also renowned Filipino athletes who graced the show: Anna Julaton (Filipina boxer), Michael Christian Martinez (Olympic skater) and Michele Bumgarner (racer/Mazda Road To Indy Driver). The show also featured Kuh Ledesma and apl.de.ap who were invited by Consul General Mario de Leon and by the PIDCI, respectively.

The decision to bring Ogie was truly a good one for TV5 International, as proven by the crowd’s cheerful “Ogie the pogi” chants and the numerous photo-op requests from fans. His last song Ang Galing Ng Pinoy brought the house down as it highlighted this year’s Philippine Independence Day celebration theme, which was “Triumphs of the Filipino: Pride of the Philippines.”

Ramirez shares, “TV5 International has had a terrific start this year, what with the company milestone of being named as the second strongest Pinoy network in the Middle East and North Africa in just a matter of three years.”

Now, the Kapatid Network is celebrating yet another milestone, this time in North America as TV5 International successfully headlined this year’s largest Philippine Independence Day celebration outside the country. With the momentum of its success in full-swing, Ramirez guarantees that “loyal Pinoy viewers and subscribers from the other parts of the world can definitely expect that TV5 International will soon make its way there, with a lot more surprises up our sleeves.”

Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International are being viewed by Filipinos all over the world through DISH Network and DishWorld in the US; Shaw Cable, Rogers Cable, Bell, Next TV, Juan TV and AEBC in Canada; OSN in the Middle East and North Africa; DU in UAE; ZAIN in Kuwait; MCV NTT Docomo in Guam; FetchTV in Australia; Hitron in Papua New Guinea; and CSL mobile in Hong Kong.