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Press Release no. 2023-32

28 June 2023, Winnipeg – The Philippine Consulate General held its second consular outreach mission in the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba from 24 to 26 June 2023. Aside from the usual consular services, the mission also included promotion of tourism programs and visits to Overseas Filipino Workers at their job sites.

The mission renewed a total of 367 Philippine passports; notarized and authenticated 186 documents; and processed four (4) civil registry and 27 dual citizenship applications.

There were 184 former Filipinos and their dependents who took their oath to re-acquire their Filipino citizenship under Republic Act 9225. One of those who took their oath, Ms. Leticia Vicera Arenalo, 86 years old who has been in Canada for more than 57 years primarily as a teacher, expressed elation for re-acquiring her Philippine citizenship. “I am very happy to once again become a Filipino. I have been looking forward to this day as I plan to go home to Iloilo soon and stay there for good.”

Tourism Attaché Francisco Lardizabal, who is based in New York, promoted the Department of Tourism’s “Bisita, Be My Guest Program” and the soon-to-be launched “Winter Escapade” program of Philippine Posts in Canada.

The Migrant Workers Office (MWO)-Toronto, for its part, visited Filipino workers in   Wrinkler Meats, Hylife in Neepawa and Tim Hortons in Stonewall to ascertain their present condition and concerns.

The consular outreach mission was supported by the Philippine Honorary Consul in Winnipeg, Mr. Ronaldo Opina and his team.  Per the 2021 Census of Statistics Canada, there are 94,315 individuals of Filipino descent in Manitoba which represents 9.8% of the total 957,355 Filipinos all over Canada. END

Processing of passport renewal applicants.

Tourism Attaché Lardizabal (second from right) with some applicants inquiring about Philippine tourism programs. 

The MWO-Toronto Team led by Welfare Officer Malou Reyes (center) interviewing Filipino workers at Wrinkler Meats.

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Press Release no. 2023-30

18 June 2023 – The latest monument of Dr. Jose Rizal was unveiled in the City of Brampton, Ontario. The monument is located at the Jose Rizal Park along Sarno Road, which was renamed in honor of the Philippine national hero through a motion by the Brampton City Council in 2021.

The unveiling of the monument was attended by Brampton City Mayor Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament Rechie Valdez, members of the Brampton City Council, Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague of the Philippine Consulate General, members of the Knights of Rizal-Central Canada Region Chapter and the Filipino-Canadian community.

The heroism of Dr. Rizal as well as the sacrifices of the Filipino people to gain independence were highlighted during the unveiling ceremony. The installation of the monument of Rizal is also in recognition of the strong relations of the Filipino community with the City of Brampton. “We want this bust and park to be a symbol of our friendship with the (Filipino) community,” Mayor Brown said during an interview.

The renaming of the park to Jose Rizal Park and the installation of the monument was realized through the efforts of the Knights of Rizal-Central Canada Region Chapter, Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal, Federation of Filipino Canadians of Brampton and Filipino Senior Club of Brampton with the support of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and Brampton City Councillor Rowena Santos. 

The bust of Dr. Rizal was sculpted by award-winning Filipino artist Juan Sajid de Leon Imao. This is the sixth monument of Dr. Rizal in Canada. The other monuments are in the cities of Toronto, Markham, Airdrie, Montreal and Winnipeg. END

Unveiling of Dr. Jose Rizal monument with Consul Sumague (second from left), Councillor Santos (second from right) and Mayor Brown.

Members of the Knights of Rizal-Central Canada Region Chapter and other members of the Filipino Canadian community who attended the unveiling of the monument of Dr. Rizal.

Mayor Brown (center) and Councillor Santos (rightmost) present a plaque representing a miniature of the Rizal Park sign to the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto represented by Consul Sumague (leftmost). 

The bust of Dr. Rizal sculpted by award-winning Filipino artist Juan Sajid de Leon Imao.

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Press Release no. 2023-29

12 June 2023, Toronto – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto celebrated the 125^th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month with a series of activities with the Filipino Canadian community in Ontario and Manitoba.

The celebrations started on 03 June 2023with the Philippine flag raising organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) at Earl Bales Park in the morning and a “Pistahan” event organized by the Filipino Centre in the afternoon. A mass and cultural expose was organized by the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) on 08 June 2023 followed by a gala dinner by the Hamilton Filipino Center on 09 June 2023.

On 10 June 2023, the Philippine Charitable Foundation Inc. held a Pinoy Fiesta and Trade Show in Scarborough. On the same day, there were two theatrical performances showcasing Philippine literature and history. The Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre staged Cartas de Amor or love letters, a musical on Dr. Jose Rizal and his first love, Leonor Rivera. The Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba, for its part, staged a live reading of Florante at Laura.

A series of Philippine flag raising ceremonies were conducted on 11 and 12 June 2023 despite the heavy rains. On 11 June 2023, the flag raising ceremonies were conducted in the cities of Vaughan, Brampton and Markham. The ceremonies were attended by local government officials as well. On 12 June 2023, the Philippine flag was hoisted at the Nathan Philips Square at around 8:30 am with Toronto Deputy Mayor Jennifer Mckelvie in attendance. This was followed by another flag raising ceremony at Queen’s park at around 11:30 am. A short program was held inside the Legislative Assembly building which was attended by Ontario Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton and other members of provincial parliament (MPP).

In the afternoon of 12 June 2023, the Consulate General held a reception for the Filipino community with the Honourable Michael Kerzner, MPP and Solicitor General, as Guest of Honor. Assistant Secretary Paul Raymond Cortes of the Department of Foreign Affairs also attended the reception as Special Guest.

The Canadian government officials who were present in these events all noted the heroism and sacrifices made by Filipinos to gain freedom and expressed gratitude to the contribution of Filipinos to Canada. “In every occupation in our province there is someone who came from the Philippines who has led us by example, and we are grateful for their ingenuity, care and concern”, MPP Kerzner said during his remarks at the reception. 

There are still a number of activities and events to be conducted by the Filipino Canadian community in Ontario and Manitoba to mark Filipino Heritage Month and Philippine Independence Day in the coming days. Filipino Heritage Month is celebrated throughout Canada every June by virtue of Motion 155 which was adopted by the House of Commons on 30 October 2018. END

Consul General Escalona (center) with officers and members of the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) during the Philippine flag raising ceremony at Earl Bales Park on 03 June 2023. 

Consul General Escalona giving (center) with Hon. Shaun Chen (second form left), Member of Parliament during the Pistahan at the Filipino Centre on 03 June 2023.

Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague (leftmost) with Vaughan Local and Regional Councillor Mario Ferri (2^nd from right) with Offiers of the Filipino-Candaian Association of Vaughan durig the flag raising ceremony on 11 June 2023. 

Filipino-Canadian youth performing a traditional Filipino dance during the Philippine flag raising ceremony in Brampton on 11 June 2023. 

Mr. Leander Mendoza (left) as Dr. Jose Rizal and Ms. Josephine Roces Chavez (right) as Leonor Rivera during the musical Cartas De Amor. 

Consul Sumague (rightmost) with Toronto Deputy Mayor McKelvie (center) and Mr. Tote Quizan (left) of the Philippine Independence Day Flag Raising Committee during the Philippine flag raising ceremony at Nathan Philips Square, Toronto City Hall. 

Philippine flag raising at the Queen’s Park.

Ceremonial cutting of the cake at the Legislative Assembly with (from left to right): MPP Dolly Begum, MPP Laura Smith, MPP Raymond Cho, Ms. Monina Serrano of the Federation of Filipino Canadians in Ontario, Consul Sumague, MPP Michael Kerzner and Indonesian Consul General Dyah Lestari Asmarani.

Members of the Filipino Canadian community, Consul Corps and government officials during the Consulate General’s Philippine Independence Day reception for the Filipino community. 

Ceremonial cutting of the cake during the Consulate General’s Philippine Independence Day reception for the Filipino Community with MPP Deepak Anand (4^th from left)m MPP Kerzner (4^th from right), Assistant Secretary Cortes (3^rd from right), Consul Sumague (2^nd from right) and members of the Consular Corps.