The beat of the drums may echo through the streets of New York instead of Osmeña Boulevard, but for members of CEBU Inc., home is never too far away.
Every year, thousands gather along Manhattan’s streets for the Philippine Independence Day Parade. Among the colorful contingents is a familiar sight for Cebuanos: Sinulog dancers carrying the image of the Sto. Niño, dressed in elaborate costumes and moving to rhythms that have long defined Cebu’s biggest festival.
For many in the audience, it is a celebration of Filipino culture. For members of CEBU Inc., it is something more personal.
‘‘It stopped being defined by geography. It is a way of life defined by family, care and helping one another,’’ said Jonathan Ongvano, president of the organization, during a press conference on July 17, 2026, in Lahug, Cebu City.
Founded in New York in 2011, CEBU Inc., or Cebuanos Engaging in Building Unity Inc., began with a simple realization. While other Filipino regional groups already had a presence in the northeastern United States, Cebuanos had none.
Charter president Shiran Ybanez remembers how the idea first came together.
‘‘We realized that we never had representation in New York City and the Northeast,’’ he said. ‘‘We asked ourselves, ‘Why don’t we showcase our talent through Sinulog?’’’
The following year, the organization joined the Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York. More than a decade later, Tribu Cebuano’s first appearance has grown into six grand championship titles, making the group one of the parade’s most decorated cultural contingents. They have since represented Cebu and the Philippines in Jersey City, Philadelphia, Milan, Venice and, most recently, Honolulu.
Still, trophies were never the destination.
‘‘Our purpose is to inspire people so they could know God through Señor Sto. Niño,’’ Ybanez said. ‘‘We share Cebuano culture wherever we go.’’ That mission has expanded beyond dance.
Over the years, CEBU Inc. has organized medical and humanitarian missions across Cebu, distributed relief goods after earthquakes, typhoons and flooding, donated sewing machines to women at the Home of Love in Tuburan, and provided backpacks, school supplies and school uniforms to students in underserved communities.
One outreach left a lasting impression on board director and former president Edynne Loquellano.
Originally, the group planned to donate backpacks and school supplies to children in Ronda. But during discussions with local educators, they learned many students could not even afford school uniforms.
‘‘That was very sad for me,’’ Loquellano recalled. ‘‘The uniforms weren’t part of the original plan, but I said, ‘We’ll include them.’’’
Their projects are funded through community donations and fundraising events in the United States, where CEBU Inc. is registered as a nonprofit organization. The organization also works with local governments and partner groups in Cebu to ensure donations reach communities that need them most.
For Ongvano, every outreach reflects the organization’s broader mission.
‘‘We believe that by sharing our values, we don’t just build an organization. We build a support system that uplifts everyone.’’
While humanitarian work remains central, preserving Cebuano identity has become just as important, especially for younger generations born overseas.
‘‘We are deeply committed to encouraging our young generation, especially those born and raised abroad, to discover, appreciate and embrace their Cebuano heritage,’’ Ongvano said. ‘‘In a fast-paced world, we want them to find strength in their roots, pride in our history and a clear understanding of the values that have sustained us for generations.’’
For Ybanez, introducing Sinulog to international audiences has also become a way of introducing Cebu itself.
‘‘Americans are amazed,’’ he said. ‘‘They ask, ‘What is this?’ Then we explain the Sto. Niño and Sinulog. Many become curious about Cebu and even want to visit.’’
The performances also resonate with Filipinos who have lived abroad for decades.
‘‘There are many Cebuanos who haven’t been home for 20 or even 30 years because of immigration problems,’’ Loquellano said. ‘‘When they see the Sto. Niño, they become emotional. It brings them home.’’
Looking ahead, CEBU Inc. hopes to take that sense of home even further. Among its long-term goals is organizing a USA Fiesta Señor, inspired by similar celebrations in Europe, while continuing to strengthen partnerships with communities in Cebu.
For its members, however, success is measured less by championships than by connection.
They carry with them the same belief that started the organization 15 years ago: that being Cebuano is not defined by where you live, but by how you continue to serve, celebrate and remember home. S