POWER couple Satrick and Catherine Uy did it again.

The trailblazing duo and their partners showcased to the world the iconic Pinoy fiesta at the 2nd Harvard Square Phil-Am Festival during the 44th Annual Harvard Square Octoberfest and HONK parade held last Oct. 3.

The merry milestone was held by the Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance in partnership with the Harvard Square Business Association, Inc.

Just on its second year, the event hit it off as if it had been organized for years. Phenomenally.

It was a festival of everything Filipino — from the colors, to the sights and sounds, to the smell down to the taste.

The parade was the surprise star of the Oktoberfest season. Surprisingly, the initial participation of the Filipino contingent was highly applauded for the right reasons by gawkers from different nations and cultures.

Filipiniana dancers in trademark colorful costumes wowed the audience with their grace and elegance.

The event was also gloriously blessed by the image of the Sto Nino which had its participation in the Sinulog dance by Tribu Cebuano. The classic tinikling left thrilled foreign, local and Fil-Am audiences wanting to play in rhythm with the bamboo poles.

Adding prestige and honor to the Harvard Phil-Am festival was guest of honor Consul General Senen T. Mangalile of the Philippine Consulate General-New York.

“The reception to the Philippine participation to the Harvard Square Oktoberfest parade was overwhelming. It was the first time that Filipinos gave the audience — all 150,000 of them — a glimpse of our rich culture and heritage. Everybody embraced it,” said Catherine Uy.

The food stalls outdid each other as proven by the long lines of foodies eager to taste the various versions of adobo, lumpia, pansit, lechon and other Pinoy delicacies.

Popular Manila street foods like fishball, squidball, kikiam, walkman, and adidas, among other delicacies most Pinoys grew up with were bottomless blockbusters.

A sight any Filipino would be proud off was the endless queue of Americans, Boston locals and other foreign guests for the classic halo-halo.

Without doubt, the 2nd Harvard Square Phil-Am Festival was a memory worth cherishing in the hearts and minds of its .15 million happy attendees. It also made its mark as ‘a must attend event’ in the calendars of Harvard Square annual Oktoberfest aficionados.

In a statement, power couple Satrick and Catherine Uy as well as the other organizers thanked everybody who helped bring the unique and proudly Pinoy fiesta to Harvard Square.

“We would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous success of our recent event in partnership with HSBA. The unity that was showcased among various cultures truly made it a remarkable event. #jocelynenriquez #rachelannewolfe#raynn #djluv #tribucebuano #iskwelahangpilipino #naffaa #phildancecompany #bayani #bufsa #hpf #junvalenciaphotography #ianjazon

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible Harvard community. Your enthusiasm, participation and willingness to embrace diversity were the driving forces behind the success of this event. Together we have shown that unity knows no boundaries and that celebrating our differences can lead to beautiful outcomes.

Thank you all for your invaluable contributions. Let us continue to build bridges, foster understanding and promote unity among cultures.

With sincere appreciation,

HSPAA

Catherine, Satrick
Cammy, Charade, Gretheline, Jojie, Lidy, Tom.”
Cheers and congratulations to all!

*********

Good karma is digital

I extended a good deed this Sunday despite having been a victim of a recent bad one. Even said prayers for the ill-willed while walking along the streets of Toronto.

To my surprise and delight, a chirpy young Filipino barista greeted me and helped me with my order at Starbucks at my Hyatt Hotel. He even made my order extra special and gave me a freebie with a heartwarming twinkle.

Jezreel deserves a million stars and a clapping commendation for making what could have been an uneventful Starbucks visit extraordinary and a reason to smile. He serves customers with genuine compassion and friendly enthusiasm — qualities not normally seen in the typical robotic food servers.

Jezreel must have been raised right and underwent the perfect work training. Kudos to his parents and his bosses.

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