FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATION
Handog Kay Itay
The Grand Tribute to Fathers

FATHER’S DAY HISTORY
         FATHER'S DAY is actually more than a 10-decade old celebration, which originated from the United States as initiated by American civic leader Joan Dodd.
       It is a secular celebration to complement Mother's Day in commemorating fatherhood and parenting by males, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on various dates mostly in European countries, and unknown to Asian countries, including the Philippines.   

PHILIPPINE & ASIAN CELEBRATION
          IN THE PHILIPPINES AND OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES, FATHER'S DAY was unknown until  a group headed by civic leader- journalist JONATHAN "JAKE" NAVEA  of the National Mother's Day & Father's Day Council and the Ideal Parents & Family Foundation (IPFF) popularized Father's Day every third Sunday of June in 1980.    The celebration was an offshoot of Mother's Day, which Navea earlier popularized in response to a public clamor to stage  "a  grand tribute to the other half of parenthood,” as well as to honor the memory of his late father, ENRIQUE O. NAVEA, a retired public servant, and all other ideal fathers worldwide.
          The defunct Daily Express published the first Father's Day newspaper supplement in 1980. Later, Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin and other leading national publications have been publishing Special Supplements to date. The Handog kay Itay Father's Day Yearbook  has  become a consistent publication of the foundation to commemorate the celebration. 

HANDOG KAY ITAY & HUWARANG AMA
          Navea founded the HANDOG KAY ITAY (Grand Tribute to Fathers), now acknowledged as "Asia's pioneer and biggest Father's Day event"  as the major highlight of Father’s Day  featuring the ANNUAL HUWARANG AMA & CELEBRITY FATHERS AWARDS.
          Outstanding Fathers from Asia and other countries are also honored thru the ASIAN FATHER-ACHIERVER AWARD and the  IDEAL FATHER GLOBE AWARD during the event.

        The celebration gained popularity when  National  Bookstore and Hallmark published Father's Day greeting cards,   together with  Shoemart and other noted  business establishments which supported the celebration thru festive commercial activities.          
       Father’s Day further gained significant booster when a noted composer-educator  LOURDES “BING” PIMENTEL , wife of respected statesman Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., donated  “ITAY,” a  Father’s Day musical composition dedicated to fathers,  in the early 90’s, interpreted by no less than the undisputed entertainment superstar Nora Aunor.
The composition complemented “INAY,” a similar Pimentel’s composition commemorating Mother’s Day .    
        Navea later initiated  Family Week Celebration held every last week of September, Grandparents  Day held every first Sunday of September, Consumers Month Celebration and other family and consumer-related events, and eventually lobbied for their respective official proclamations.
          
PROJECT OBJECTIVES & CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES
         HANDOG KAY ITAY  aims  to enhance a meaningful observance of  Father's Day, Mother's Day,  Family Week, Grandparents  Day and other family-related events.  The project also further envisions  to promote ideal family living and parental respect in Asia-Pacific and other parts of the world, as well as motivate individuals to be achievers in their chosen fields thus contributing to their respective nation-building.
         The event also features popular entertainers and personalities making the event entertaining and commemorative. It usually ushers with a SPECIAL FATHER'S DAY MASS & ST. LORENZO RUIZ FLORAL OFFERING. ESSAY-WRITING CONTEST, FATHER & CHILD EXHIBITS and other commemorative events are also being undertaken.         
     
PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION NO.266
& OFFICIAL NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
          In 1988, after the world-famous EDSA People's Power Revolution,  Navea, in  his strong desire to stamp national significance to both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day  celebrations,  painstakingly lobbied for a Presidential Proclamation resulting in the historical signing of   PROCLAMATION NO. 266  by  former President CORAZON C. AQUINO "declaring Mother's Day every second Sunday of May and Father's Day every third Sunday of June as official national celebrations in the Philippines."
          The proclamation superseded the Proclamation issued by the late Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon and the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, which formerly declared both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to be celebrated on the first Monday of December.    The proclamation was not, however, devoid of  a string of arguments lodged by a veteran women’s group leading to a special Senate Hearing presided by the late Senator Raul Roco,  who eventually became a staunch supporter of Navea  in his Mother’s Day and Father’s Day universal crusade.        

NOW A POPULAR CELEBRATION
         Navea later initiated Family Week Celebration held every last week of September, Grandparents  Day held every first Sunday of September, Consumers Month Celebration and other family and consumer-related events, and eventually lobbied for their respective official proclamations.
          Today, Father's Day is undoubtedly one of the popular celebrations and a big family event, next to Mother’s Day.   It is an occasion to honor fathers typically involving  gift-giving to fathers and undertaking family-oriented activities.

OUTSTANDING FATHERS AWARDS
          The HUWARANG AMA AWARD (Outstanding Fathers of the Year, formerly GINTONG AMA Awards) is conferred on EXEMPLARY FATHER-ACHIEVERS at least 50 years old who have made significant accomplishments in Business & Entrepreneurship, Education,  Humanitarian & Civic, Medicine & Allied Sciences, Sports, Medicine & Allied Sciences,  Home & Family and other major professional fields and at the same time manifested ideal parenthood.

SPECIAL FATHER’S DAY AWARDS CITATIONS:

SPONSORSHIP & BENEFICIARIES
          Voluntary corporate and individual sponsorship & donations are earmarked to finance the preparation and promotion of the event, particularly the printing of the Annual  FATHER'S DAY Yearbook.    Proceeds are all earmarked for  the  IPFF  Youth Scholarship & Livelihood Program, as well as the Senior Citizens and Home for the Aged Program.
          The EMCOR Learning Center (ESLC)  in Laguna and the JAYCEES Talent Center in Quezon City are among the civic ventures of IPFF to provide scholarship to  less- fortunate gifted and talented youths and children.   The foundation also envisions to construct  the GOLDEN HOPE HOME FOR THE ELDERLY  to take care of the senior citizens to be productive individuals despite their age.
          The Ideal Parents & Family Foundation (IPFF) later jointly ventured in AVP/ TVC Productions, Web Design & Hosting,  PR & Advertising , Special Events and corporate assistance service thru MEDIAPOWER SERVICES, the private marketing and corporate group of IPFF and NATIONAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS FOUNDATION, the business proceeds of which benefit the crusade of the foundation and its beneficiaries.  (For  Mediapower corporate & marketing assistance services, log-on at www.mediapowerservices.com).