CONSUL GENERAL FERRER FETES VALLEJO PISTA SA NAYON, BAY AREA’S LARGEST PH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
Consul General Neil Ferrer with top local officials and the Filipino American Community at the 39th annual Vallejo Pista sa Nayon in Vallejo, California on 7 June 2025. (San Francisco PCG photo)
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco took part in the 39th annual Pista sa Nayon (Village Festival) in Vallejo, California on 7 June 2025, with Consul General Neil Ferrer lauding the Bay Area’s biggest Philippine Independence Day celebration.
Organized by the community-run Philippine Cultural Committee, the Vallejo Pista sa Nayon returned to the Mare Island Coal Sheds and assembled Filipino American cultural performers, martial artists, food stalls and trucks, and apparel and handicraft pop-ups.
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer congratulated the Philippine Cultural Committee and the Filipino Community of Solano County for spearheading the Vallejo Pista sa Nayon on its 39th year.
Consul General Ferrer also thanked the Solano County Board of Supervisors and the Vallejo City Council for their respective resolutions, proclaiming June 2025 as “Philippine Cultural Month” in Solano County and Vallejo.
“Almost 28,000 Filipinos and Filipino Americans live here in Vallejo… And yet, what sets the Filipino Community in Vallejo apart is not just its size, but the spirit of our community here. A spirit of resilience, compassion, and unity. You have preserved Filipino values, languages, and culture across generations while also helping shape the diverse and inclusive identity of Vallejo and the greater Bay Area,” said Consul General Ferrer.
“The Vallejo Pista sa Nayon is more than just a celebration. By gathering today, we reaffirm our heritage and identity. We declare that we are proud of who we are, proud of where we come from, and committed to where we are going,” Consul General Ferrer further said.
The Consulate also participated in the Vallejo Pista sa Nayon in a booth, which provided relevant consular information to Filipino nationals. Nearby, the booth of the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in San Francisco promoted Philippine tourism and shared travel information to the public.
Filipino American government officials present included: California State Senator Christopher Cabaldon; Vallejo, California Councilmembers Diosdado JR Matulac and Charles Palmares; and Vallejo Board of Education Member Glenn Amboy. Other top government officials in attendance included California State Assemblymember Lori Wilson, and Vallejo, California Mayor Andrea Sorce.
Among the headline artists were Bay Area-based Fil-Am rapper Ruby Ibarra, and “King of OPM” Ogie Alcasid who performed during the “The Filipino Channel Hour.”
In the early 1900s, the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard attracted Filipinos to work and eventually settle in Vallejo, creating one of the first Filipino Communities in the United States. One notable Fil-Am personality from Vallejo is award-winning singer and songwriter H.E.R., born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson. END
Consul General Neil Ferrer gives his remarks at the Community at the 39th Vallejo Pista sa Nayon in Vallejo, California on 7 June 2025. (San Francisco PCG photo)
Consul General Neil Ferrer with Vallejo, California Mayor Andrea Sorce (L) and Eloise Scott (R), one of the pioneers of the Vallejo Pista sa Nayon. (San Francisco PCG photo)
(San Francisco PCG photos)