Community marks independence day

One of the biggest immigrant communities in south Wales is staging its main annual cultural celebration.

Up to 500 people are expected to join the festivities at the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot to mark Philippine independence day.

There are an estimated 2,000 Filipinos living in the region, with many having arrived in the past 10 years.

The Swansea-based Filipino Community Wales said Sunday's event would be the largest it had staged to date.

Chairwoman Amy Moore said: "Independence day is considered a bank holiday in the Philippines but because we are in a foreign country it is special to come together and socialise.

"It's something we do every year [but] this is going to be the biggest as we try to make it better every year."

She said the theme of this year was to promote cultural and social integration and to thank the people of Wales for their support and welcome.

Officials from the Philippine Embassy and Welsh Assembly Government are due to attend.

Almost eight hours of entertainment and presentations is planned.

As well as showcasing traditional and contemporary music and dance from the Philippines, there will be performers from other ethnic minority groups and from Wales.

Mrs Moore said the Filipino community in Wales had grown greatly in the last 10 years with many working in the NHS and health care sectors.

But she said there were also a large number who like herself ran small businesses or were self-employed.

The Philippines declared independence from Spain in 1898.

"It has become a well-known event for the Filipino community in Wales which we started in 1998 and its happened every year since then," added Mrs Moore.