Harana: A Night of Love, Laughter, and Filipino Tradition
On February 8, 2025, Fil-Am of Greater Atlanta hosted an unforgettable Valentine’s Day celebration — Harana: Serenade Night! This special evening, full of love, laughter, and the richness of Filipino culture, brought the community together to honor traditions, create memories, and spread joy. If you couldn’t make it this year, don’t worry! Here’s a recap of all the fun we had!
The evening officially began with an energetic welcome from Stacey Le, the 2025 Social Chair of Fil-Am of Greater Atlanta.
She expressed excitement about the special celebration, welcoming both members and guests, and encouraged everyone to relax and enjoy the night filled with love, music, and community.
Fil-Am President Mrs. Juneli Zabala delivered a warm welcome to the crowd, emphasizing the theme of the evening: celebrating love in all its forms—family, friendship, and Filipino culture.
She highlighted the significance of Harana (serenading) and expressed gratitude for the community’s support in keeping Filipino traditions alive in Atlanta.
Juneli then introduced Ronji Santos, the emcee for the evening, who had everyone excited for what was ahead.
We took a moment to recognize and welcome our new members, who are now an important part of the Fil-Am family. It’s always exciting to see our community grow, and we’re thrilled to create more memories with all the new faces joining us.
For some added fun, a couples trivia game took place, featuring pre-selected couples from different stages of marriage: Newlyweds, a couple who has been married for 10-20 years, and a couple who has been married for 20+ years. The questions were both fun and revealing, and everyone enjoyed watching the couples test their knowledge of each other. The winners, Martin and Samantha Agoncillo, walked away with the winning prize, while our runner-up’s also received a consolation prizes!
Throughout the evening, the crowd was serenaded by our talented performers, Ronji and Imelda Young, creating a magical and romantic atmosphere. To close out the serenades for the evening, Ronji and Imelda performed a beautiful duet that had the crowd in awe. The chemistry and talent between the performers were undeniable, and it was the perfect way to end the serenade portion of the night.
We also held a 50/50 raffle where one of the lucky raffle prize winners walked away with half of the money that was raised. Our grand prize winner walked away with $250!!!
As the night wound down, Ronji took a moment to thank everyone for attending and making the night so special. He extended his gratitude to the Fil-Am board of directors, sponsors, Kamayan ATL for donating two ube flan cakes for our dessert sale, and, of course, all the guests who made this celebration a success.
From the heartfelt serenades to the fun games, the Fil-Am Valentine’s Harana: Serenade Night was an event to remember. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year! A big thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible! From our amazing sponsors to our dedicated volunteers, you are the heart of our community, and we appreciate you.
If you missed this year’s Harana: Serenade Night, don’t worry! We have so many exciting events planned for the upcoming months.
Be sure to check out our upcoming events and follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram) to stay updated on all the ways you can get involved.
See you at the next event!