By Cristina DC Pastor
June 2021 was an auspicious time for a celebration, at least in Albany.
Two reasons were brought up: One, travel restrictions caused by the pandemic had been lifted. Two, the labor issue involving Albany nurses reached an impasse and subsequently led to a contract signing.
Hence, on June 26, 2021 Albany’s first Philippine Independence Day parade took off in Washington Park. It was sponsored by the New York State Nurses Association with support from local organizations. In her keynote message, Mayor Kathy Sheehan paid tribute to Filipinos for their contributions to “our culture, health care institutions and business community” and enriching the city’s diversity.
Parade organizer Sol Kapunan, 49, made this cheeky remark: “This is the best opportunity to gather the support of local population because people are raring to go out after a long imprisonment.”
The 123rd Philippine Independence Day parade of June 26, 2021 – Albany’s first — attracted a sparse 800 people. Such number would balloon in stunning numbers in the years to come. On June 28 this year, several thousands of Filipino Americans across the state turned out for the 127th Independence Day parade prompting Sol and his wife Mary Ann, 47, to remark that the success could be gauged by the participation of more Filipino organizations closing ranks with the greater Asian community and the local population.
“We gained traction,” said Sol.
Kalayaan 1521 is now in motion. It is Albany’s version of PIDCI or the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. which mounts the iconic annual parade in New York City’s Madison Avenue.
Sol shared the story of how Kalayaan got its name.
“People thought the ‘Kalayaan’ came from the declaration of independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite. It was not. About ‘1521,’ they thought it’s about Lapu Lapu defeating Magellan. That’s not the reason,” he began.
He said Kalayaan 1521 is some kind of a rallying cry for Filipinos to abandon the “colonial mentality that plagues us.”
He and wife Mary Ann, then an ICU nurse at Ellis Hospital, would lock horns while brainstorming on the name. “Nag-aaway talaga kami,” both of them confessed in jest.
“I said I wanted freedom from the colonial mentality that plagues us. That anything foreign is good. That we allow ourselves to be relegated to second-class citizens in this country. I see that in the inferiority complex of some of us. I want us to be superior in our own way. That’s the Kalayaan part. 1521 refers to the start of the colonialization of the Philippines.” It is the year Magellan arrived on Philippine shores.
Listening to Sol’s impassioned explanation, Mary Ann promptly came on board. Sol became the founding president of Kalayaan 1521 Council Inc., a New York non-profit corporation “dedicated to preserving and promoting Filipino culture and heritage,” his wife of 26 years became the corporate secretary.
She said, “My background as a community leader and healthcare professional is deeply rooted in public service.”
Seminarian
In recalling his interesting past, Sol mentioned how he was a young seminarian in college. It did not lead to priesthood as he decided to pursue a non-sectarian path. He went on to college at the University of Santo Tomas where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and met Nursing student Mary Ann Gozon along the way.
“Different buildings but we have common friends,” he said with an ironic smile.
The couple, now with two daughters, migrated to the United States in 2011 via the EB-3 skilled visa program that qualified Mary Ann who had an extensive nursing career as a nurse manager of an Ambulatory Surgical Center in the Philippines.
Albany became home to the Kapunans because Mary Ann’s employer then, Pathways Nursing and Rehabilitation Center,was based in Schenectady, a mere half hour away from the state capital. Sol, shy about being called an activist, found himself immersed in Albany’s labor issues with nurses because of his wife’s job. Local nurses are known to protest against major Albany hospitals over working conditions. He and APO fraternity brother Nathan Ty became advocates for the Filipino nurses and in the process came to know the city’s local leaders.
Meanwhile, Sol became a member of the board of PIDCI through an invitation from Nora Galleros, then PIDCI president. Sol is the president of Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association of Greater New York (2023-2026) of which Nora is a life-long member.
“Nora asked me, Sol, I’m in the process of cleaning the ranks of PIDCI, pwede mo ba akong tulungan? Sabi niya tumakbo ka. Hindi ko mahindian yung sister ko,” he shared. He was elected under the ticket of current president Arman David.
The parade and Sol’s growing influence caught the attention of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Her office reached out through an emissary from her Asian American Affairs office. The official commended Sol for his role in advocating for the Asian community and said, “Asians need representation.”
“I told him I am not a politician but I will not sit idle on an opportunity that would help the Filipino community,” he said.
June 28, 2025
This year’s parade has definitely grown from a few hundred marchers in 2021 to almost 4,000. The vendors – 26 of them — were spread all over the park showing the community the quality and variety of Philippine crafts, clothing, and cuisine. Sol thanked the local officials for supporting the Filipino community. The Filipinos, he thanked for “showing your colors, showing what a true Filipino is. We have to tell our story because if we do not tell our story, nobody will.”
Except for unusual high security around the park – police said to prevent a possible Lapu Lapu festival incident in Vancouver – the parade ended on a festive note with some participants lingering much longer like they didn’t want the gathering to end. It was a lovely day. It did not rain.
Kalayaan 1521 will continue to grow the Philippine parade until Filipinos in New York State recognize their role, and responsibility, in propagating Filipino heritage, said the couple. How do you ensure it will not be plagued by issues that used to trouble the old PIDCI, The FilAm asked.
Sol replied. “People might think we’re a copycat. Kalayaan 1521 has a life of its own, has its own destiny. We will always observe transparency. It will not be another (old) PIDCI.”
