Filipinos on Saipan celebrate Kalayaan 2015

“Tagumpay sa pagbabagong nasimulan (victory of the new start already made), abot kamay na ng bayan (extended hand of the nation)” was boldly announced and printed on stage of the Philippine Independence Day celebration under the shaded parking and walkway of the Marianas Business Plaza last Sunday, June 14.

The occasion belonged to the gather-about, eat-out, sing-out, shout-out and out-dance-everyone-who-dares-foot-tap Pinoys that characterized the celebration of the Philippines’ 117 Independence Day declared against Spain by General Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite, 1898.

A group sits down for a heart meal at the Pistang Filipino event last Saturday.

Philippine Honorary Consul of the CNMI Glicerio “Eli” Arago delivers his speech during the United Filipino Organization Philippine Independence Day celebration last Saturday at the Marianas Business Plaza. (JAIME R. VERGARA)

Who gathered about? Tan Holdings’ executive vice president Glicerio “Eli” Arago, the Philippine Honorary Consul of the CNMI, was there, having graced the flag-raising event June 12, moseyed over to Tinian on Saturday, then returned to Saipan on June 14, actively performing his duties. The program started at noon, and Arago elucidated on the occasion’s theme, affirming a people’s new start but requiring all to join a cooperative effort to move forward together.

Recognizable in the crowd mid-afternoon was soccer aficionado Tan Cho Yee, aka Jerry, sporting his red Rolando football shirt. Tan Holdings’ companies employ many who are members of the United Filipino Organization, the Bayani group, and other bodies.

OK. The eat-out. One can tell that the crowd had a sweet tooth. Most of the food and beverages on sale were high on sugar content, and the lard that cooked the fried food and the oil that dripped from the barbecue explained wayward girths; half a reef fish on eggplant and kangkong were the healthy fare.

Young voices sang beautifully though they seemed anxious to shout-out volume on a high note. Still parents were proud as their children handed music on USBs to the sound crew, adorably and confidently took to the stage to entertain the crowd.

Group performances took their vocal and audio turns, but the local high school swinging singers out-wiggled and out-swayed each other on the stage floor.

Then Larry Lee, erstwhile NMC business instructor, a recipient of a Legislature recognition of his community work, former Philippine PCV in the early ’80s, got his band to sing a stylized version of Dahil Sa Iyo, and the crowd went wild. The artist practices his art with a camera and the uke. Lito and Femie Rey also had their Cornerstone Church group counted on stage along with other performing groups who entertained the audience.

Freedom (kalayaan) is a bandied about on festive occasions but an elusive reality to 90 million Filipinos scattered over an archipelago whose wealth is half owned by 3,000 families.

Bayan ko, binihag ka, now refers to the stranglehold of a few. Most of the nation’s 10 million-some in diaspora, including the crowd gathered Sunday afternoon on Saipan, are nomads who go where the compensation would allow them to remit earnings to their beloveds back home. A sad story, but it is also a permission to be street-smart world-wise Pinoy. It is time to be sick of the binihag ka story.

Kalayaan! It’s what Pinoys decide that it be their story. We concur.