Christmas brings hope and healing
December 16, 2025 —The Philippines is known to have one of the longest, if not the longest Christmas seasons in the world.
Canadian Filipino
Informing, Engaging and Connecting Community
Maple Bamboo Network Society, publisher of CanadianFilipino.Net, wishes to thank United Way British Columbia (United Way BC) for providing a grant through its Kapwa Strong Fund to commission this project called “Healing Through Kapwa: A Storytelling and Solidarity Series for the Filipino Community” following the unfortunate event that unfolded after the Lapu-Lapu street festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.
December 16, 2025 —The Philippines is known to have one of the longest, if not the longest Christmas seasons in the world.
December 1, 2025 — In 1521, Lapu-Lapu stood, a local chieftain, on the shores of Mactan in the Philippines and declared his community’s right to exist and live freely and fully.
November 16, 2025 — Days after the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, a powerful memorial began to take shape. Handwritten notes soon appeared on the fence; scrawled on notepads, scraps of paper, even napkins.
November 1, 2025 – The Philippines was colonized by Spain for over 300 years (1521 to 1898) so majority of Filipinos are Catholic. Although the church has lost many young Filipinos to modern times through the years, 79% of Filipinos are still Catholic today.
October 16, 2025 – On the night of April 26, friends, colleagues, neighbors, current and former students worldwide – some I have not heard from in twenty years – sent text messages and calls offering condolences and support following Vancouver’s “darkest day.”
October 1, 2025 – Bayanihan (collective or community care and support) is a valued tradition among Filipinos. In Philippine villages, its spirit draws farmers to join hands and help each other plow the fields, plant and harvest rice, maintain irrigation canals, or move a house. It inspires urban dwellers to get together and volunteer to patrol the neighborhood to keep peace and order or fight fires.