A year after making history, Filipinos return to Madrid's Hispanidad parade with a bigger presence

Photo: Dulce Lada

MADRID, Spain — Filipino dancers filled Madrid's Gran Vía on Sunday, October 4, 2026, bringing the Philippines' colors, music and cultural tradition to the Spanish capital's biggest public stages for the second consecutive year.

A year after the Philippines made its historic debut at the Cabalgata de la Hispanidad, a larger Filipino delegation returned to Madrid, with around 120 participants taking part in this year's

parade.

The Philippine delegation was among those featured in the 2026 Cabalgata, which brought together delegations from 22 countries and featured 15 floats and more than 4,500 participants

along the Gran Vía. The parade is part of Hispanidad 2026, a festival running from Oct. 2 to 12 under the theme, “Todos los acentos del español caben en Madrid” — all Spanish accents have a place in Madrid.

For the Philippines, this year's participation marked a step forward from its debut in 2025, with a larger delegation and a Philippine float.

“This is the second year now na meron tayong delegation. I think now, the delegation is larger than it was last year. This year we have a float and this is a welcome development,” said Mark

Francis C. Hamoy, Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General of the Philippine Embassy in Spain, who headed the Philippine delegation.

Hamoy said the Philippines' participation also reflects its distinctive place in the Hispanic world as an Asian country with centuries of historical ties to Spain.

“Malaking bahagi ng ating kultura ay mula sa ating 300 daang [mahigit] taong ugnayan sa España,” Hamoy said, referring to the period of Spanish colonial rule and the cultural influences

that developed from the relationship between the two countries.

The Philippines' presence at Hispanidad also comes as the two countries look toward the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

“Magandang panimula ang paglahok natin sa paradang eto upang gunitain ang ating matagal na ugnayan sa Espanya,” Hamoy said.

For Filipinos living in Spain, however, the parade represents more than a reminder of history. It offers a highly visible platform for a diaspora often associated with overseas work to also

present itself as a community with its own culture, traditions and identity.

The Filipino presence in Spain extends beyond workplaces and homes. Across the country, Filipino communities have built cultural, sporting and social activities that allow migrants and

younger generations to maintain connections with the Philippines while becoming part of Spanish society.

For dancer Marry Rose Valdez, joining the delegation was an opportunity to experience that history firsthand.

“I joined to be part of history and to experience dancing in the streets of Madrid,” she said.

For lead organizer and President of Asociación Cultural Islas Filipinas, Shan Sabio, the larger delegation was the result of a collective effort that brought Filipinos together in preparation for

the event.

“This year we have grown and we are around 120 participants this year. The preparation was challenging but at the same time it was very exciting kasi lahat ay nagsama-sama at

nagbayanihan,” Sabio said. “Everyone shared their efforts to make this presentation very successful,” she added.

Sabio described the delegation's participation as a “very momentous representation of the Philippines,” saying it was also a way of bridging the two countries and giving the Philippines

greater visibility in Spain.

That visibility was also felt by Filipino spectators Geneveb and Maica, who came to watch the

delegation perform.

“Para makita iyong performance nila and to celebrate also what they can represent for us,” they said.

The Philippine delegation's presence also offered a reminder that Filipino culture, while shaped in part by centuries of interaction with Spain, developed into a distinct identity of its own — one

that Filipinos continue to carry and share wherever they live.

For Hamoy, that is ultimately what the community's participation in Hispanidad is about.

Filipinos, he said, should be proud of their culture and share it with the world, “kahit saan lupalop ng mundo tayong mga Pilipino naroroon,” particularly in Spain, where the two countries'

histories have been closely connected.

The 2026 participation therefore comes at a significant moment: a larger Filipino community presence on Madrid's streets, a growing platform for Philippine culture and a lead-up to eight

decades of formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Spain in 2027.