A June 12 Spirit as Big as Texas
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The Philippine flag is raised at the Kalayaan 2025 ceremony at the Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood).
As the Philippines celebrates its 127th National Independence Day from Spain on June 12, Filipino ingenuity, originality, and creativity blossom all over the world. Filipinos in North Texas* have looked forward to this celebration ever since the Filipino Leaders Coalition of North Texas (FILCON) sponsored the Kalayaan event in 2022 after the pandemic. FILCON was founded by community leaders Gus and Ethel Mercado in 2018. This year’s event was on June 1.
Maricel Mijares, a Dallas registered nurse and a member of the North Texas Santacruzan Dallas, said “This event gathers the Filipino American community, uplifting our heritage and culture with beauty and grace. It promotes the ingenuity of our fellow Filipinos, showcasing different tribes and sharing with the American community our true independence.”
As in the past, FILCON officers brainstormed to bring all the Filipino organizations, professionals, entrepreneurs, beautiful women, music stars, all ready to share their talents with pride and joy to mark the significance of independence from Spain after more than 300 years of colonization.
This year, celebration was again held at Asia Times Square (AST) in Grand Prairie, Texas. The ceremony started with Philippine flag raising by the city’s Police Honor Guard and the crowd singing the United States and Philippines national anthems. Mayor Pro Tem Jorja Clemson spoke of how “the Philippines was a territory of the United States until July 4, 1946, when it was granted independence.”
“Texas is a great state because of its diversity, and today more than 100,000 Filipino Americans make their home in the Lone Star State,” Clemson said, “where they enhance the traditions that are part of Texas history – entrepreneurship, love of family, a sense of community and a tradition of neighbor helping neighbor.” She declared June 1, 2025 as Philippine National Independence Day in Grand Prairie.
The celebration continued all day at the mall’s new concert hall, where Filipinos from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, enjoyed native dancing, singing, and poetry reading among many other presentations. The mall’s part-owner, Matthew Loh, said, “I want ATS to be more than just a business, a place to replace ignorance with acceptance, preserving tradition and promoting cultures of everyone in the city. I want it to become a destination connecting cultures and community. I love Filipino events. I love Filipino customs.”
Maharlika Dancers perform a crowd favorite Tinikling at Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood).
The event honored the sons and daughters of Filipino and American World War II veterans.
FILCON president Greta Pardue, a nurse educator whose father, Alejandro Boac Sr., fought the Japanese during World War II, has been involved in the Kalayaan project for the past three years.
“This was perfect because I am passionate in honoring and celebrating their memories and meeting other families of the veterans,” Pardue said. “I am privileged to meet Mel Sumrall.”
Sumrall is a 99-year-old WW II veteran from Fort Worth who served under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The former sergeant said he was with MacArthur when their ship landed in Leyte. Everyone who met Sumrall at the event shook his hand and thanked him for his service. He said he “gets more blessings” every time he attends the Kalayaan celebration.
Mel Sumrall, who served under Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines is shown at Kalayaan 2025 at Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood)..
Vendors sold Filipino delicacies, native barongs, and boleros, and promoted their businesses.
The Philippine Nurses Association of North Texas (PNA-NT) chapter was there checking blood pressures and giving health advice.
PNA-NT president VJ Cunanan, a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas College of Nursing Class of 1990, reiterated the chapter’s mission: “To uphold the positive image and the welfare of the constituent members, promote professional excellence, and contribute to significant outcomes to health care and society.”
The Dallas Santacruzan group presented traditional regional costumes in bright colors and shimmering lights, as models walked around the stage, with each costume described vividly by cultural program director Jil Lasaca.
One of the Santacruzan Queens, Yvonne Yngzon Gochangco, a registered nurse anesthesiologist, wore a national costume that was “inspired by the Goddess of the Philippine morning and evening star, Tala, a name that evokes, mysticism, strength, and agility.”
Yvonne Yngzon Gochangco models a national costume that was inspired by the Philippine goddess, Tala. Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo courtesy of Yvonne Yngzon Gochangco).
But more than a display of vibrant colors and aesthetics, Gochangco said, “Highlighting the grace and elegance of modern Filipino women reinforces messages of empowerment and equality, showing how far the nation has come since its colonial past. After all, it’s not just about physical attributes, but about strength, resilience, intelligence and cultural pride.” Gochangco added that Kalayaan 2025 is “a vital tribute to the formidable role of Filipina women in building the nation and shaping the Philippines’ past, present and future.”
FILCON officers also invited Filipina sculptor and immigration lawyer Elaine Antonio Bordeaux, whose bust of a smiling Jose Rizal was unveiled on stage. Bordeaux, in her purple Filipiniana dress, said she “created a beautiful bust of Jose Rizal–from the perspective of a Filipino woman artist.” From here, she will take the bust to Houston on her “Courage Exhibition” to display her art depicting Philippine heritage, her life in Colorado, and her aspirations for her community.
Sculptor Elaine Antono Bordeaux displays her smiling Jose Rizal bust at Kalayaan 2025 at Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood).
“I travel all over the world to showcase my work,” Bordeaux said. “My work represents the Philippine heritage and my life in the USA.
Kalayaan 2025 was organized in partnership with the international Filipino TV network ABS-CBN, which will broadcast the highlights to millions of viewers worldwide. ABS-CBN had a table raising funds for its foundation–the Bantay Bata. The network also provided special musical entertainment by Filipino R&B singer Jay R and renowned saxophonist Philip Mahoney. The crowd went wild when Mahoney and Jay R appeared as the finale on stage.
Filipino R&B singer Jay R wows the crowd at Kalayaan 2025 at Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood).
The crowd swarmed the stage and took selfies and photos of the Philippine superstars. They swayed to the music of the dynamic duo and sang with them. At a backstage interview with Jay R, the singer exuded confidence about his heritage and music. “You don’t have to worry about your race. Just worry about the music. If you worry about your race, you worry about the wrong things. Just make good music,” he said.
Renowned musician Philip Mahoney entertains the crowd at Kalayaan 2025 at Asian Times Square in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 1 (Photo by Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood).
Mahoney expressed his pride in being Filipino. Being in a Filipino community, we get to spread our culture and spread love,” he said. “It’s easier to connect on emotional levels, at the same time we can inspire those who have the same passion.”
VIP guests Jun and Angie Cruz attended the Kalayaan event for the first time this year. “I have been here since 1982,” Angie said. “This is very significant since being away from home, the individual tends to forget their culture and absorb the culture of their present country. Celebrating this will make the Filipinos always remember what our forefathers fought for and we can also pass this to the next generations. This will make it even more relevant for the next generations to come.”
As in the past, FILCON officers brainstormed to bring all the Filipino organizations, professionals, entrepreneurs, beautiful women, music stars, all ready to share their talents with pride and joy.
Gus Mercado said it best: “Setting aside the joyous pomp and pageantry of the colorful presentations of the cultures, traditions, songs, food and costumes of the Philippines’ different regions, our more important reason for celebrating Philippine Independence Day every year is to awaken the patriotic spirit and love of their motherland among Filipinos, especially the young generations. We do this by connecting them to their roots and paying homage to their ancestors and their heroes and in so doing, they will treasure and be proud of their rich and noble heritage.”
*North Texas includes: Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Richardson, Arlington, Garland, Irving, Grand Prairie, McKinney, Frisco, Mesquite, Carrollton, Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Valley View, Sanger and Gainesville.
Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood is a freelance writer from Sanger, TX. She is also a Clinical Research Project Manager at CHRISTUS Health and a stage actress in North Texas.
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