By Esther Misa Chavez

Oakland– Thousands of Filipinos from the Bay Area showed up to give their support to the second Filipino Heritage Night during the Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers game at the Oracle Arena.

Some Filipinos bought special tickets and wore their dark blue commemorative, while some well-heeled Pinoys shelled out $150 to be at the VIP lounge. Portions of the revenue benefited Filipino American non-profit organizations.

Filipino heritage was showcased before and during the ball game, starting with a martial arts performance from the Kamatuuran School of Kalijin under Joseph Arriola. Philippine flags and Filipino sports and martial arts memorabilia were also on display and for sale.

A quartet called “Pinay” composed of UC Berkeley alumnae sang the American anthem accapela and dancers from the Likha Pilipino Folk Ensemble under Herna Cruz, were on center court during one of the time-outs dancing the Tinikling while the Warriors and Trail Blazers huddled around their respective coaches for the next game play.

Needless to say, the Warriors led most of the game and won 105-98 over Trail Blazers.

Franco Finn, the official Warriors “hype man” kept the crowds entertained with constant announcements of freebies and contests, as he tied the whole Pinoy Heritage Night into one great fun experience.

“We want to commend the Golden State Warriors for celebrating and honoring the Filipino American community at a regular season National Basketball League game. By showcasing Filipino American culture in this way, the Warriors truly honor the many contributions of Filipinos to American society,”
Filipino Heritage Night organizer, Al Perez, president of FAAE, said. Perez was joined by organizer Rudy Asercion, Executive Director of West Bay Multical Center in San Francisco.

“As one of the community beneficiaries of this game, the funds that we will receive will go a long way in helping us realize our mission of broadening awareness and deepening the understanding of Filipino
history, achievements and culture,” he added.

Next Filipino Heritage events will be at the Sacramento Kings game on Friday, February 27. Special guest will be Jabbawokees. Followed by the San Francisco Giants Filipino Heritage Game slated for Tuesday, April 21. Special guest is Manny Pacquiao who will throw the first pitch. A Manny Pacquiao bobblehead will also be given away.