Photos by JojoTaduran

The Filipinos Making Waves Festival (FMWF) at Yonge-Dundas Square, Ontario, Canada, on August 15 and 16 might have engraved itself in the pages of Toronto’s cultural and entertainment history by being the first of its kind in the community to have been staged at the square.

It might have made history for having temporarily closed to traffic a segment of Yonge St. for a short community parade, made culturally significant and educational by three groups in tribal wear and gear representing indigenous peoples in the Philippines’ major islands of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

But beyond first-ever citations, the two-day ticketless FMWF had proven itself effective in connecting a big number of people of non-Filipino descent to an introductory, if not deeper, appreciation of Philippine arts and culture through music.

To a degree, the two-day festival helped shatter ethno-cultural barriers and invoked recognition and acceptance of what Filipinos are and what they could do and could be in the field of raw and uninhibited public entertainment, especially at Toronto’s premiere open-air public stage at the square.

But all who fully understood the festival’s underlying concept would forever remember it as having built and realized dreams as it opened doors of opportunity for young and aspiring talents who showed they had the heart and soul to melodiously and harmoniously sing, dance and play instruments with confidence and passion on a stage set before an audience of various cultural representations.

Take the case of nine-year old You Tube regular Jheo Navarro, the youngest in the group of carefully selected and well-rehearsed cast, who took to heart “MacArthur’s Park”; Edessa Andrada, 10, who effortlessly belted Whitney and Celine selections like no other; Teresa Panaligan, 12, whose vocal prowess showed why she was Toronto champion of Kuya Germs’ singer-star search; and Hamilton youth, RJ Lingao-Lingao who crooned “Mack The Knife” with gusto reminiscent of five decades ago.

Jiva Andola, who had her first solo concert under Mentor Productions Inc. at the same stage where R&B diva Beyonce performed on in September 2006, sweated it out with the Sunday mid-afternoon crowd, adding heat to what king Sun and the plus 30 mercury rise could muster.

Andola’s version of “Pers Lab” and “Can’t Get Enough” gave justice to both original compositions of FMWF musical director Mon Torralba, a member of Philippine 70s band, The Hotdogs.

Jeanette Ricasio’s set that mixed “Isang Mundo, Isang Awit” and “Bonggahan” with a couple of English melodies provided a fitting opening act to Germany-based vocalist Maloy Lozanes, who showed the range of her disco-oriented pipes.

Like Jiva, local Talakantahan singers Ivy Joy, Jessica Joy and Ian Nillas - in either solo or joint outings – raised the roof and the mid-aft heat with Original Pilipino Music, pop and reggae sounds. Their FMWF debut was co-produced with Talakayan Radio.

Not to be understated were the performances of R&B singer Kristine Subido, hip-hopper The Real AJM, balladeer Rommel Billanes who held the Filipino Centre Toronto (FCT) 2009 Filipino Idol crown, Myk Miranda who introduced the modern “balagtasan” through music in spoken words, and FMWF back-up vocalist cum soloist Genevieve Alejandro with guitarist Brandon Torralba.

Zena ‘Lady Elvis’ Zagala, perhaps the most mature among the mike holders, showed her glowing golden spirit as she sang, danced and impersonated The King to the delight of the crowd.

Most of the homegrown talents were ably supported by back-up vocalists Tristan Torralba, Genevieve Alejandro, Gena Baldivia and Chyrelle Samson and live band members Mon Torralba on lead guitar; Nato Buzon, bass; Mike Ombao, keyboard; Jun Vidal, Don Lunaria and Terry Martell, alternating on drums.

But respected among the powerhouse array of FMWF performers was Mikey Bustos, who had evolved into an ultimate Canadian mainstream performer, shortly after copping 8th spot in the inaugural Canadian Idol Reality TV series in 2001.

Bustos showed he could fill the stage as he moved with his back-up dance crew in an opening number, then sang his latest CD selections depicting his love for music and life and standard tunes that time turned into classics.

Inspired to be the best in what they loved to do, youth groups representing various musical genres went onstage at performance level..

To the rhythm of the Mindanao’s indigenous kulintang, gong and drums, Santa Guerilla aired their music that had contemporary undertones and messages.

So did R&B and hip hop groups Barkadaz and Crewzing.

Undaunted were youth rock bands Cast of Angels, Out of Luck, Cosmic Rayons and Mayday, all regulars at Mississauga’s Minerva Studios, in what someone called as an “electrifying showdown.”

The festival, however, was never all about singing and the like.

Given equal time and exposure were the dancing prowess of FCT’s Kayumanggi Dancers and Asian Canadian Dancers (seniors group) who donned Filipino native wear and swayed to Filipino folk music, the Hip Sync Hula dancers who provided a glimpse of tropical movements, and the multicultural crews of the Bella Divas and the Rascals who set eyes and bodies in motion with their fast-paced hip hop steps.

Then there were globally-acclaimed Filipino instrumentalists who supported the all-Ontario cast of performers: Seattle-based guitar virtuoso Angelo Pizarro and Las Vegas-based jazz master and keyboardist Boy Katindig and saxophonist Danny Dandan who gave pop and jazz enthusiasts in the crowd their fill. Both Pizarro and Katindig have become festival mainstays.

The attraction of the California-based group of yet another Filipino You Tube sensation FMWF's Youth Waves headliner, GLP (Gabe Bondoc, LeeJay Abucayan and Passion) kept a swarm of fans swooning over their music and clicking digital cameras in wild abandon until their finale that closed the festival’s Saturday sked. Of the three, Passion had appeared in a previous FMWF outing.

Directed by Teresa Torralba, in coordination with Ruby Amog, the Sunday parade from Gerrard to Dundas streets along Yonge St. afforded pedestrians enjoying an ideal summer weekend a glance of Philippine ethnicity.

Toronto’s Benguet-Ifugao-Baguio-Apayao-Kalinga group was in full native regalia. To the beat of a gong and steps inspired by the traditional canao ritual, the reps from northern Philippines marched, proudly proclaiming themselves as a people who gave life to the world wonder Banaue Rice Terraces.

Highlighting the religious ways of central Philippines were members of the Ontario Arts Council-supported Panay Island Dancers of the Kababayan Community Centre and the Ati-Atihan performers of the United Aklanon Association of Toronto who drew the attention of a typical Yonge St. weekend crowd with their colorful costumes and drumbeat moves.

Representing southern Philippines, the Kayumanggi Dance Troupe awed onlookers with their Muslim Mindanao-inspired attires.

At the parade was a cross-section of community groups, among them the Pillars, Clariz, the United Filipino Seniors Association of Hamilton and the Asian Canadian Dancers, the Hamilton Pilipino Dancers, the Canadian Knights of Rizal, Kababaihang Rizalista and the Filipino Aspirations of Rizal; the Ladies of FMWF and a TTC-FMWF contingent.

Samantha Amog, in a Filipino terno, represented the youth and walked alongside an oversized Philippine flag donated by Philippine Ambassador to Ottawa Jose Brillantes.

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) Ceremonial Unit -- bearing the Canadian, Philippine, and TPS colors - secured the front and rear of the parade.

Festival alternating hosts included Deo Moreno, Samantha Amog, Jeanette Ricasio, Monica Carlos and Roman Carretas.

The weekend festival also included Kids Zone, managed by Cris Papa-Nanola and GTA This Month news while post-performance Meet and Greet and artists' sale of merchandise at the Artist's Booth was handled by Cris Bustos.

FMWF officials were Ruby Amog, marketplace and booth director; Mon Torralba, entertainment and musical director; Sonny Amog, finance director, Jojo Taduran, special projects and external affairs director, and Rodney Ronquillo, stage director. The overall festival director is Teresa Torralba.

If there was something to be proud of, it was the glaring fact that Philippine arts, culture and music took a bolder step to be freely seen and heard.

Filipinos have shown their friends and neighbors that they too could sing, dance, play topnotch music and parade their heritage; that they could be a potent force to bridge understanding and interdependence between and among Ontarians.