Press Release
Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA)
Contact: Letty A. Reyes
July 18, 2013

FACLA DOUBLE CELEBRATIONS FOR 4TH OF JULY, A SUCCESS.

Los Angeles- The double celebrations of the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) for the 4th of July on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 was a resounding success.

The double celebration was held last July 10 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM for the Philippine-American Friendship Day was well attended by hundreds of guests.

Speakers

FACLA Director Marc Caratao set the tune of the celebrations in his speech by recounting the Spanish-American War that got the Americans embroiled in the Philippines as America’s first colony in Asia.

He also recounted the bitter Filipino-American War from 1899 to 1916 “that proved that Philippine-American relations were sealed in blood and fire “.

FACLA President Austin Baul Jr. in his speech spoke about “hyphenated-Americans that up to know are being viewed with suspicion as having a dagger in his back ready to stab America in the back.”

He called on the FACLA members to prove the naysayers wrong by “disproving the theory of hyphenated Americans for we Filipino-Americans are all-Americans, loyal and true.”

Crowning of Several Queens

The celebration was capped with the crowning of several beauties during the dance celebrations and were given bouquets of flowers and crowns were awarded by FACLA officers and consorts.

Crowned as queens of the night were Ms.Linda Nery as Ms.Filipino American Friendship Day Queen; Ms. Ofelia Legazpi as Queen of U.S.A. Independence Day; Ms. Letty A. Reyes as Queen of the Philippines: Ms. Amparo Pabalan as Queen of Luzon; Ms. Ana Mendoza as Queen of the Visayas and Susan Del Rosario as Queen of Mindanao.

After which they were serenaded by a band of singers led by FACLA president Austin Baul Jr and by the King of Filipino Kundiman, Rudy Ferran of the Knights of Rizal and other singers like Phil Del Rosario and Johnny Longue.

History of the 4th of July.

July 4 was the former independence day for the Philippines. On July 4, 1946, the United States granted its colony, the Philippines its independence as provided by the Tydings-Macduffie Law of 1934.

But in 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal changed the date of the Philippine Independence to June 12 from 1962 and declared every July 4th as “Philippine-American Friendship Day. “

Thus FACLA will celebrate on July 10, two events, the Philippine-American Friendship Day and the US Independence Day or the “Fourth of July.”every year.

The emcees for the celebrations were Ms. Nila Jamias-Baul and FACLA Director Arturo P. Garcia.

For more information please call FACLA at (213)484-1527 or Letty Reyes at (323) 644-2827 or visit our website at newfacla.org.

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