Toronto, Ontario
350,000 participated in ‘Tuloy ang Saya’
By Tony A. San Juan(OCT)
The ever-popular “Taste of Manila Street Festival” returns! After a hiatus of over two years, the much-awaited Filipino street festival in Toronto successfully staged its 7th open public engagement. For 6 years, historically, the annual festival operated publicly when it started in 2014 until 2019. However, when the COVID pandemic hit, for health and safety reasons, the festival went virtual in 2020 and 2021. This time, the iconic event is back with a big bang!
With its apt theme Tuloy Ang Saya ( Let’s Continue the Fun), the “Taste of Manila Festival” was conducted at Little Manila, North York, Toronto on August 20 & 21, 2022. The public event started its activities from Wilson Avenue and along the stretch of Bathurst Street up to Laurelcrest Avenue. The two-day festivities offered a variety of shows, culinary delights, street eats, music band competitions, street dancing, and quiz & game contests, considered typical of the cultural “scenes, scents, and sights ” of the Philippines.
Some the dignitaries who graced the opening day ceremonies on August 20, were Toronto Mayor John Tory, MP & Minister of Public Safety, Hon. Marco Mendicino, Philippine Consul General Orontes Castro, Members of Parliament Rechie Valdez, Salma Zahid and Ya’ara Saks, Toronto Councillor Mike Colle, PIDC President Agnes Miranda, PCCF President Rosemer Enverga, Megaworld International Exec. Vice President Maria Victoria Acosta, and T.O.M. Founder Rolando Mangante.
Special guests gave their respective messages and greetings. PhilConGen O. Castro swore in more than 60 new dual citizens. Toronto City-York Centre Councillor James Pasternak, MPP-York Centre Michael Kerzner, and MPP-Eglinton Robyn Martin also attended also the event.
The 2022 T.O.M. festival edition was organized by Cecile Araneta, President of International Entertainment Company, an Ontario- registered non-profit entity, in a special arrangement with Rolando Mangante, founder and owner of Taste Of Manila, Inc.
Previously, the nine-year old biggest Filipino street festival in Canada was organized by the Philippine Cultural Centre of Canada, the Philippine Legacy and Cultural Alliance, and the Philippine Community Events & Services Ontario.
Rolando ‘Ka Rolly’ Mangante and Cecille Araneta were ably assisted by IEC’s Ramon Datol, Edward Que, Jim Torres, Ian Santillan, Ianessa Greeley, and TOM’s Pepito Torralba, Lovely Danna Luna, Nieves Mangante, and hundreds of volunteers.
The opening day program was preceded by a colourful parade participated by community, professional, and social organizations . The Falon Dafa Marching Band and the Ifugao Association Cultural Troupe provided the parade’s tempo and rhythm.The cultural shows included musical performances and entertainment presented by local Filipino talents and bands.The six Pinoy bands attracted and engaged most of the enthusiastic crowd with flashes of dancing, singing, and mirthful motions.
Over 100 tents and booths were set up to accommodate different vendors, sponsors, and businesses offering and selling cooked food, desserts, snacks, dry merchandise and clothes, specialty products, professional & education services, and a host of other stuff under the cooperative weather. Guests, visitors, vendors, and revellers estimated at more than 350,000 during the two-day festivities are all looking forward to next year’s Taste of Manila Festival 2023 repeat staging.