为庆祝中菲建交48周年以及第22个中菲友谊日，菲律宾嘉年华于6月23日下午在厦门举行。

　　来自中国、菲律宾及世界其他国家地区的人们欢聚一堂，共同欣赏具有菲律宾特色的歌舞，该活动以音乐为媒介，架起跨文化沟通与友好交流的桥梁。

　　Article by Tang Xinming, Yan Runfei

　　Photos by Tang Xinming, Yan Runfei and Zhang Yao

　　The Xiamen SM Lifestyle Center hosted the inaugural Pinoy Fiesta on June 23. The event is the first of its kind to be organized by the Xiamen Filipino Association in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen.

　　Organizers said that the goal of the fiesta was to jointly celebrate the 125th anniversary of Philippine independence, the 48th anniversary of Philippines-China relations and the 22nd anniversary of Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day.

　　The Philippines is noted for its culture of celebration and fiestas which take place somewhere in the country's 7,100 islands every week.

　　The fiesta included a central stage with a screen that featured video of traditional Filipino folklore events. Multiple booths flanking the stage featured local cuisine and souvenirs. Hundreds of attendees from around the world attended the festivities.

　　Pinoy Fiesta organizer Jose Noel Halili Antivola, who goes by the nickname Bong Ants, has lived in Xiamen for more than 16 years. For him, the event was particularly close to his heart because he thinks of both the Philippines and Xiamen as his home. He described the event as a place for family and friends to share food, music and fun. “The more we share, the happier we are.”

　　Mr. Antivola said that preparations for the fiesta took more than a month for the team of volunteers. “It doesn't matter how many hardships we endure,  what matters is that we do it from our hearts,” he said.

　　The fiesta included two musical performances by Mr. Antivola. Aside from the chorus that he presented with others, he also sang a song entitled Manila that held deep significance for his country's many overseas workers.

　　The fiesta was a lovely way to share the diverse range of Philippine music, spanning from the 18th century to the present day, with a broader audience, according to Mr. Antivola.

　　Event hosts included Raymond Meris, a math teacher at Manila Xiamen International School. Mr. Meris gave a dance performance featuring traditional Filipino dance together with other artists. Dancers wore traditional Filipino attire.

　　Maria Antonina M. Oblena, the consul general of the Republic of Philippines Consulate General in Xiamen, attended the event. She called the fiesta proof that “music and culture bring people together.”

　　Ms. Oblena and Jing Yang, a prestigious five-string viola artist from Xiamen, performed three works of music on stage, backed by a Filipino band. Their set included multiple musical acts. A chorus in which Mr. Antivola sang gave a rousing performance. Ms. Oblena added that the fiesta's music evoked “unity and harmony,” a reflection of the bond between China and the Philippines.

　　Fiesta attendees included Kolosov Volodymyr, a Xiamen University student and fluent Chinese speaker. He called the event “a great opportunity for Chinese, Filipino and international friends to gather together.” He described the fiesta as a “convivial platform for cross-cultural communication.”