DUBAI – The stage is set for the UAE’s biggest and most anticipated annual Filipino event: the 127th Philippine Independence Day celebration. The announcement was made during a recent  media launch attended by Philippine Embassy officials, members of the press, and prominent UAE-based vloggers.

Titled “127th Kalayaan 2025,” the event is organized by Emirates Loves Philippines and Infinite Communities in partnership with The Filipino Channel (TFC). It is expected to bring together over 25,000 Filipinos at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Halls 1 and 2, on June 1, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

This year’s celebration will showcase live music, cultural performances, family-friendly activities, and appearances by guest artists from the Philippines. Confirmed by TFC, Kapamilya stars from Pinoy Big Brother Generation 11—Fourth placer Kai Montinola and London-based crooner Jarren Garcia—will be headlining the event.

“Emirates Loves Philippines is a community built by Filipinos, for Filipinos,” said event organizers. “With over 1 million proud Filipino followers and more than 11 million across our Emirates Loves pages, it’s a platform that celebrates the resilience, culture, and achievements of Filipinos in the UAE.”

“As we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the UAE, Kalayaan 2025 takes on deeper significance,” said Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ferdinand Ver. “This aligns with the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Community’—a call for unity, inclusivity, and shared identity.”

Marford Angeles, Philippine Consul General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, added: “Kalayaan 2025 is a remarkable opportunity to honor the contributions of overseas Filipinos and to strengthen the bonds among our kababayans across the UAE. Each year, this event continues to grow—uniting thousands in celebration of identity, history, and collective aspiration.”