On Friday night, the Philippine-American League transported guests to the beautiful beaches of Boracay for their 37th-annual fall banquet. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Mandela Room was transformed into a tropical paradise for guests to enjoy an unforgettable night featuring traditional dances like Tinikling and Maglalatik, audience-interactive games and a performance from the organization’s new “PAL band.”

Upon entering the space, guests were immediately welcomed by a glowing “PAL” sign and a lush room with tropical flowers. During the opening remarks, Sebastian Albano, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and PAL’s educational chair, reflected on the theme.

“Boracay is one of the Philippines’ most beautiful islands, known for its white sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and vibrant nightlife,” Albano said. “We wanted to capture that feeling of Boracay coming alive after sunset, with colorful lights, music and people coming together to celebrate. Through tonight’s performances, food and festivities, we hope to bring a little piece of the Philippines to you guys and share that same warmth and energy with all of you.”

The night was hosted by social chairs Yennis Chen, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, and Dominique Dreyer, a sophomore majoring in nursing. They followed opening remarks by introducing the E-Board dance, which included a mix of traditional Filipino dances.

Vice president Hexter Silva, a junior double-majoring in mathematical sciences and economics, discussed the event’s dance.

“We actually tried something new this year; in past years, our e-board dance consisted of traditional and modern Tinikling, the dance with the bamboo sticks,” Silva wrote to Pipe Dream. “Diana Marquez, our current Performance chair, added traditional and modern Maglalatik (or Coconuts), as well as Pandanggo sa Ilaw (with the candles), all in the same dance. This way, we were able to showcase a larger variety of Filipino dances in the same event.”

After the first dance, emcees Chen and Dreyer hosted a scavenger hunt using the attributes of audience members, such as searching for the highest heel. More interactive games were played throughout the night, others included a game called “head, shoulders, knees and shoot” and a relay race to pop balloons.

The winners were rewarded with prizes like a LEGO orchid set or an air fryer. Chen remarked that last year she was blown away by PAL’s banquets, and that she was excited to host this year.

“I could never imagine in one year that I would be hosting this year’s event, and it just means a lot because we put so much effort and time into planning this event,” said Chen. “To see it all play out, it’s such a meaningful experience for us all.”

The night included many dances, such as those from the MODA and Eclipse Diablo dance teams. A notable performance was after intermission, from PAL’s newly-formed group PAL band. Singers swayed and harmonized on stage, ecstatic to be performing together live. Covers included a popular love song called “Ikaw Nga,” by South Border.

Afterward, hosts Chen and Dreyer asked all audience members to stand up and gather on the dance floor. Guests were taught a dance to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.”

Throughout the entire experience, every single audience member was up and dancing — so much so that the Mandela Room’s floor began to shake. Moments like these demonstrated the liveliness the organization was able to spark within their community in celebration of their culture.

During closing remarks, Chen described her connection to the culture. She described how visiting felt like she was in paradise, and she never wanted to leave.

The Philippine-American League expressed its goals not just to establish a Philippine-American community on campus, but to build an inclusive family. The banquet represented both an homage to their culture back in the Philippines and to the warm and welcoming environment they aim to build on campus.

Gavin Rualo, a senior majoring in mathematical sciences and the president of PAL, shared out that the banquet is the organization’s biggest event of the semester to share their culture and cultivate a community with a bigger crowd.

“The responsibility to create a space for Filipino-Americans here means a lot to me because I remember how desperately I wanted an environment like that when I entered Binghamton,” he wrote in an email. “Over the years, I’ve seen PAL become a more welcoming and friendly club that can help students, Filipino or not, feel comfortable with engaging in culture or just fun events.”