NEW YORK – The 9th Floor Atrium of the New York Marriott Marquis will come alive on October 31 for YAMAN, a three-day celebration of Filipino artistry, heritage, and entrepreneurship. The festival opens with a VIP Gala and Halloween Filipiniana Cocktail Reception, culminating with a concert featuring NBC’s The Voice USA Season 26 winner Sofronio Vasquez and performances by the Sacred Weavers of the Indigenous T’boli, Aklan, Abra, and Cordillera Tribes. The gala launches Filipino American History Month with a night of music, culture, and design in the heart of Times Square.
Guests are expected to arrive in Filipiniana and Barong Tagalog, surrounded by displays of woven textiles, pearls, and artisanal works that honor the Philippines’ creative legacy. YAMAN, which means “treasure” in Tagalog, brings together leaders, artists, and innovators who represent the evolving global Filipino identity.
Honored Guests and Presenters
The VIP Gala will feature Loida Nicolas Lewis, Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice and Chair of The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, as YAMAN Honorary Chair, along with LinkedIn Co-Founder Lee Hower and Dr. Frank Lopez, who will lead the Power Talk “How to Succeed in America as a FilAm.” CBS New York anchor Kristine Johnson will moderate “Her Story, Her Power,” a conversation on navigating journalism and identity in the United States.
The Sacred Weavers of the T’boli Tribe, led by Estrellita Godwino, the master Piña weaver of Aklan, Raquel Eliserio, the heritage weaver of Abra, Maria Elena Balbas, and the Kalinga Cordillera weaver, Jenny Bawer Young, will demonstrate the traditional art of dream weaving. Each pattern, drawn from ancestral visions, will be showcased through textiles that blend spiritual heritage with living artistry. Cynthia Alberto, founder of Weaving Hand, will also be at YAMAN. Designers Anthony Cruz Legarda, Katte Geneta, Valerie Fischer, Skeeter Labastilla, and Patis Valdes Reynoso will present couture works integrating indigenous materials into modern fashion.
The Market Place
From October 31 to November 2, the YAMAN marketplace will feature artisans, entrepreneurs, and culinary artists from across the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora. Presented in partnership with Philippine Airlines, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, Jeweler Carol Goodman, Resolution X, Eclaro, GMA Network, The Peninsula Hotels, and Napoli Law, and supported by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, the event highlights craftsmanship, sustainability, and cultural storytelling.
Indigenous Weaver Exhibitors include The Dreamweaver Collective and Cynthia Alberto, all representing a new generation of Filipino makers bringing traditional artistry to global audiences. Other prominent exhibitors include Ro Concepcion of Binata Millery, Harry Berry of New York, Tela de Bonita, Brown Harris Stevens, Tish Shoes, John Reagan Rada, Shang Properties, Narra Studio, Ives and Bees, Foamo, and many more.
Love Philippines
Saturday, November 1, opens with “Generation of Grit: Founders and Startups Transforming the Future,” featuring Lee Hower and Arnold Lopez. The program continues with poetry readings by Dr. Lestrino Bacquiran and Nene P. Rivera, followed by “Pearl of the Orient” with Jacques Christophe Branellec of Jewelmer, exploring pearl cultivation and trade in Palawan. The Philippine Consulate General in New York, led by Consul General Senen Mangalile, Philippine Trade and Industry Investment Commissioner Alma Argayoso, and Philippine Department of Tourism Director Maria Corazon Jorda-Apo, will present “Love Philippines.” At midday, “Woven Threads” examines the history of Filipino textiles and their ties to identity and activism. Christine Pomeranz, International Trade and Marketing Chair at the Fashion Institute of Technology, will discuss the partnership with FRIENDSOFPHUSA and the Fashion Design Competition. “Weave the People” brings together artisans who sustain weaving traditions in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Later, “Business and Culture” features Lisa Angulo Reid, Brian Reid, Daniel Corpuz, Raquel Dang, Jon Luigi Caña, Jennifer Redondo, and Darwin Pornel, exploring how Filipino Americans innovate across design, cuisine, and storytelling. It will be followed by “Next Gen Creative and Culturemakers” with Ro Concepcion, founder of Binata Millinery, on the art of modern millinery and storytelling hats. The day concludes with “Unbreakable Spirit,” led by Grace Sacro and Anne del Castillo, celebrating Filipino women in community leadership. The marketplace remains open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., showcasing handcrafted textiles, jewelry, books, and culinary products from independent Filipino creatives.
Read, Weave, and Song
Sunday, November 2, begins with a Literary Read Aloud and continues with “Weaving Together,” a backstrap weaving workshop with Cynthia Alberto of Weaving Hand. The festival concludes with performances by NBC’s Season 26 The Voice winner Sofronio Vasquez, Wyn Avillas and Mangrove Red, and Angel Ram, closing YAMAN with a celebration of Filipino music and soul.
Founded in 2017 by Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue, Friends of the Philippines Society USA, Inc. is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying Filipino heritage, fostering cultural pride, and building bridges across communities through the arts and storytelling. Its initiatives include the opera Noli Me Tangere, the Art for Humanity installation honoring Filipino frontline workers, and Explore the Islands of the Philippines at Grand Central Terminal in partnership with the Department of Tourism.
YAMAN serves as a space to showcase craftsmanship and collaboration. For visitors, it offers an authentic way to experience the Philippines through the artistry and vision of its people.
Where to Purchase Tickets
Tickets for the YAMAN Festival (Sofronio Vasquez Concert and Select Workshops) and Oct. 31 VIP Gala are available for purchase at www.YamanNYC.org or on Eventbrite under “YAMAN.” FREE admission to the Marketplace and select workshops available with pre-registration at yamannyc.org. Students get 50% off with code: YAMANSTUDENT (Valid with Student ID at registration).
The YAMAN Festival runs October 31 to November 2, 2025, at the New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, New York City. Proceeds support Friends of the Philippines Society USA, Inc. and its cultural programs promoting Filipino art and heritage. The festival closes with music, weaving, and storytelling that reflect the spirit of the Filipino people, creative, proud, and united.
