Community

Celebrating is a huge part of our Filipino identity. The start of Christmas observance alone in the “ber” months starting in September long before Advent Season and ending in the second Sunday of January – a total of four and a half months – is proof positive of this celebratory culture.

Celebrating is a huge part of our Filipino identity. The start of Christmas observance alone in the “ber” months starting in September long before Advent Season and ending in the second Sunday of January – a total of four and a half months – is proof positive of this celebratory culture.

The Embassy of Canada in the Philippines recently awarded the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to nine projects across the Philippines.

It’s billed as the biggest Filipino street festival outside of the Philippines, and it’s undoubtedly a source of pride for Canadian Filipinos.

Over the last two years or so, Heritage Toronto has been organizing guided tours in what is known as Little Manila.

Airing from the capital city of Canada, an online radio station reaches out to millions of Filipinos across the world with its unique blend of programming.

After a year of operation, Canadian Filipino.Net launches a sponsorship program, inviting the business community to participate in the work and benefits of sharing Canadian Filipino stories that matter coast to coast.

As we head into the season of giving, it may be wise to take a moment to consider who gets a gift or a lump of coal, especially when it comes to donations. Here are five things to keep in mind when deciding to part with your hard-earned money for a good cause.

Mel Tobias (1939-2017), a world wanderer, was a man of many parts with many friends who loved him. He was always looking for “a place where his spirit can run free.” He found “his corner of the sky” in Vancouver, British Columbia. He became the quintessential Vancouverite – learning, earning, yearning and living for life. He made every minute of his life count.

In Canada, the tradition of getting together with loved ones over a large feast to express gratitude for a happy event and other blessings goes back many years. It began long before the Pilgrims arrived in the United States and started a similar celebration there. But it was only in 1957 when the second Monday in October was proclaimed a statutory holiday for Canadian Thanksgiving.

It was the autumn of 2015. It all started with coffee, lots of it, and many weeks of it, at my favourite Vancouver coffee shop in Olympic Village, with my journalist friend who didn’t stop the pitch until I gave in. My friend, who wishes to be anonymous, kept talking about ‘Filipinos should have a better presence in Canadian media”. That’s true.

Now nearing its eighth year anniversary, the One Filipino Cooperative (OneFilCoop), first-ever Filipino cooperative established in British Columbia (B.C.), proudly looks back at its achievements and vows to expand its services to help its members cope with affordability issues.