Manila, Philippines - On June 12, Angeles City will join the entire nation in the celebration of the 114th Proclamation of Philippine Independence, with Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez as guest of honor and speaker.
This will be the second year that the city has been recognized by the National Historical Council of the Philippines (NHCP) as one of seven simultaneous official flag-raising venues every Independence Day commemoration. The event will be held at the Pamintuan House, where, unknown to most Filipinos, Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo celebrated the first anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence on June 12, 1899. He unfurled and waved the original Filipino flag sewn in Hong Kong, the same one used in Kawit, Cavite the previous year. It was a grand celebration complete with an open-air Mass, civic and military parade of some 2,000 troops, and a luncheon attended by high government and military officials.
Realizing the significant role bestowed upon Angeles City, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan ensures a celebration filled with meaningful events, including the re-enactment of the celebration of the 1st Philippine Independence Day Celebration held at the Pamintuan House, under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo.
The re-enactment, which is undeniably one of the highlights of the freedom day celebration, has always been spearheaded by Kuliat Foundation, Inc. (KFI). Mayor Pamintuan, through the Angeles City Tourism Office, partnered with KFI to further spruce up the celebration, which opens with a brief parade participated in by representatives from the education, business and government sectors. The parade begins at Museo Ning Angeles and ends at Pamintuan House, where the re-enactment is performed by the theater group Uyat Artista, using the script penned by Jose G. Paras Jr. Dance production numbers will be done by Sinukwan Performing Arts, and the other musical renditions will be from the Angeles City Choir.
This year’s Independence Day celebration in Angeles City is kicked up a notch. The Angeles City Tourism Office, in partnership with the Department of Tourism – Region III and MarQuee Mall will stage “MusiKALAYAAN 2012,” an explosive musical extravaganza featuring Angeleño bands SOJ, Tea 4 Two and Chiro, true-blue Angeleño Ronnie Liang, Tricia Garcia, Mcoy Fundales and Kenyo, and renowned performers Bayang Barrios, Gary Granada and Lolita Carbon of Asin. This free concert happens at 6 p.m. at MarQuee Park.