PIDCI president for 2027 thankful for the friendships, memories, and lessons learned

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Mariano "Nongsky" Aquino Jr. was elected president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) for 2027, promising to make the annual Madison Avenue parade a more…

Mariano "Nongsky" Aquino Jr. was elected president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) for 2027, promising to make the annual Madison Avenue parade a more inclusive celebration of Filipino heritage.

PIDCI, the organizer of New York City's annual Philippine Independence Day parade, announced Aquino's election along with the selection of seven members to its newly elected Board of Directors.

A longtime community leader, civic advocate and nonprofit organizer, Aquino has held leadership positions in several organizations, including PIDCI, Triskelion Synergy Inc., the American Association of Pangasinenses in America Foundation (APAFI), and the Knights of Rizal New York Chapter. In his private capacity, he has worked at Macy's Northeast for 42 years.

He said his leadership platform centers on three priorities: celebrating Filipino culture, encouraging broader participation among organizations, and building on PIDCI's legacy for future generations.

Aquino's journey to PIDCI started back in 2006 when he joined as a volunteer. Eventually, longtime member Ner Martinez encouraged him to take on a bigger role and convinced him to run for a seat on the Board of Directors (BOD).

"Looking back, I'm grateful that I took that leap because PIDCI has become such a meaningful part of my life," he told The FilAm in an interview.

Aquino said he envisions a parade that reflects the diversity of the Filipino experience, bringing together regional cultural groups, performers, artists, community leaders and organizations from across the United States.

In previous parades, PIDCI has welcomed cultural delegations representing festivals and traditions from different parts of the Philippines, including the Masskara Festival of Bacolod City, Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, Manggahan Festival of Guimaras, Kaliga Festival of Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, the El Gobernador Band of Cavite, and representatives from San Juan, Batangas.

The parade has also featured Filipino entertainers…

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