On 12 June, the Republic of the Philippines will celebrate its 126th Independence Day. The Philippine Independence Day is the biggest annual event for the Filipino diaspora living in and outside the Philippines. The Consulate would like to highlight that there are an estimated of more than 10,000 Filipinos in Philadelphia City alone, over 50,000 in the State of Pennsylvania, and over 416,000 in the entire Northeast of the US. Marking this milestone is also a recognition of the invaluable contributions of Filipino immigrants to the United States, most especially the recent demonstration of selflessness, compassion, and heroism of Filipino nurses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This lighting will honor all Filipino Americans who continue to make the US a beacon of democracy, freedom, and equality. The illumination will also serve as validation of the perseverance, hard work, and discipline demonstrated by immigrants, which in turn have contributed to the progress of US.