Bayanihan Spirit Takes Center Stage at 36th PAFCOM Friendship Day Parade in Jersey City
Bayanihan Spirit Takes Center Stage at36th PAFCOM Friendship Day Parade in Jersey City Left: Inspirational message by Consul General Senen Mangalile. Right: Formal ribbon-cutting ceremony officially launched the parade. (Photos by Sherlyn Roxas) NEW YORK CITY, 29 June 2026 — The Philippine Consulate General in New York, led by Consul General Senen T. Mangalile, joined the Filipino-American community in celebrating the 36th Philippine-American Friendship Day Grand Parade and Festival. Organized by the Philippine American Friendship Community, Inc. (PAFCOM), the annual event took place on 28 June 2026 in Jersey City, New Jersey, a cultural stronghold home to over 16,000 Filipino-Americans. The festivities commenced with an opening program at the intersection of West Side and Claremont Avenues. Inspirational messages were delivered by PAFCOM officials, Grand Marshalls Dr. Rod and Elma Castillo, Jersey City Mayor James Solomon, Hudson County officials and Consul General Senen Mangalile. Following the speeches, a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony officially launched the parade, with participants marching down West Side Avenue toward Lincoln Park. Consul General Mangalile personally led the Consulate Team alongside Mayor Solomon and Hudson County officials, demonstrating civic solidarity and celebrating the enduring alliance between the Philippines and the United States. Civic, regional, and community organizations from New York,…