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 PR-2022-14

06 April 2022, Toronto - The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto would like to inform that Consul Orontes V. Castro attended on 02 April 2022 the Meet and Greet and launching of the Global Alumni Network of the Mariano Marcos State University at the Islas Filipino Restaurant. MMSU President Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, who was part of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) delegation which visited Canada on 26 March to 01 April 2022 for networking and meetings with Canada-based Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), led the event.

A memorandum of understanding on higher education cooperation between MMSU and Evergreen College, a Canadian private career college, was also virtually signed during the alumni meet and greet as part of MMSU’s internationalization efforts.

Consul General Castro took the opportunity to expound on the services and programs of the Consulate General, including the Credentials Recognition in Canada (CRC) Project initiated by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa with the support of the Consulates General in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Consul General Castro mentioned the initiatives of the Embassy and Consulates General to have the credentials of Filipino professionals recognized by the Canadian Government so that they can practice their profession in Canada. He also highlighted the importance of the alumni in preparing and guiding Filipino students and professionals intending to work in Canada.Accordingly, a number of nursing graduates of MMSU are in Canada.

Consul General Castro was accompanied by Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague, Labor Attaché Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo and Welfare Officer Malou Reyes during the event.

MMSU is among the ranking state universities in the Philippines, earning high ratings including as a three-star institution by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in 2020. END-

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 PR-2022-13

30 March 2022, Toronto - A delegation from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Philippine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) headed by CHED Chairperson J. Prospero E. De Vera III visited Ontario and met with officials of local HEIs and the provincial government on 30 March to 01 April 2022 to discuss possible programs for cooperation and undertake networking.

The delegation met with officials of several HEIs in Ontario, including Ryerson University, York University, University of Toronto and Niagara College. CHED, through Chairperson De Vera, signed a Joint Statement on Higher Education with Ryerson University and a Memorandum of Understanding on Academic Collaboration with York University. The agreements will facilitate student, faculty and researcher exchanges; cooperation on research and project development; joint teaching and delivery of courses; internships and other education abroad programs; sharing of best practices and information; and the conduct of seminars and conferences. There were also initial discussions on educational cooperation in the areas of health, agriculture and technology between the delegation and their Canadian counterparts.

Apart from Canadian HEIs, CHED Chairperson De Vera also met with the Honorable Norman Miller, Member of Provincial Parliament (Parry Sound-Muskoka) and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; and officials of Filipino-Canadian professional groups. CHED and some delegation members also met virtually with Canada’s National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). Discussions centered on the credentials recognition of Filipino professionals working in Canada and those who intend to work in Canada.

Consul General Orontes V. Castro and Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague accompanied the delegation during the said meetings.

The delegation members included Presidents and officials of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Tarlac Agricultural University, Tarlac State University, Iloilo Science and Technology University, West Visayas State University, Southern Leyte State University, World Citi Colleges and Universidad de Dagupan (Colegio de Dagupan). Prior to the visit in Ontario, the delegation also visited Ottawa. END-

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 PR-2022-12

Toronto, 05 April 2022 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto would like to inform that CHED Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III and Consul General Orontes V. Castro were the guests of honor on the opening of the Max’s Restaurant in Sheppard Avenue West, North York, Ontario on 01 April 2022. The opening also coincided with the launch of the month-long Filipino Restaurant Month, a common cultural calendar led by the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary and PDOT-San Francisco, with the support of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulates General in Vancouver and Toronto.

The new Max’s Restaurant is a Filipino-Canadian owned business and is located in North York, Ontario, a popular destination for new immigrants in Canada and one of the most diverse and multicultural areas in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The franchise owner is Mr. Clyde Pacis, Filipino-Canadian who also owns the franchise for another two Max’s Restaurants in the Cities of Vaughan and Markham.

It has been observed that Filipinos are not only the present customers of Max’s Restaurant in the Greater Toronto Area and the Cities of Vaughan and Markham, but there is also a growing number of customers from other ethnic backgrounds and mainstream Canadians. Mr. Pacis said that he is thankful for the support from the Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino-Canadian community.

In his brief remarks, Consul General Castro highlighted the significance of the entrepreneurship spirit of those behind Filipino-owned businesses such as the Max’s Restaurant to become role model for growing population of Filipinos in the Provinces of Ontario and Manitoba to also start their own businesses. These Filipino-owned businesses also greatly contribute to the Philippine economy as they employ employees from the Philippines. Mr. Pacis informed that his employees are mostly of Filipino descent. END-

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 PR-2022-11

Toronto, 04 April – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto joined the members of Filipino community dance club --- Let’s Dance, Live & Enjoy Life --- during their line dancing event at the FV Foods restaurant in Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough, Ontario. Around 32 of the dance club’s 68 regular members were present at the event and began their line dancing at 3:30 in the afternoon, which they enjoyed until 8:30 in the evening.

Consul General Orontes V. Castro joined the group during their midway break to greet the Filipino community members and thank them for their support of the Filipino Restaurant Month (FRM) 2022 celebration, underscoring the importance of their patronage of FV Foods restaurant and the other participating restaurants in the FRM 2022 as their contribution in supporting the continued flourishing of Philippine food businesses in Canada and the steady employment of the Filipinos working in these establishments. He added that the economic stability of Filipinos in Canada ensures that they can better contribute to the Philippine economy through the remittances they send and the investments they make back in the Philippines.

During their dance break, Toronto PCG joined the participants in partaking of FV Foods’ FRM 2022 prix fixe meal offerings consisting of deliciously cooked lechon kawali served with rice and a side of crispy chicken skin and lumpiang shanghai garnished with tomatoes and cucumber. FV Foods also served participants of the special event with pancit bihon and sinigang na hipon. The prix fixe meal was capped with a special halo-halo and a serving of carioca and turon, which brought to diners fond memories of their childhood in the Philippines.

The Let’s Dance, Live & Enjoy Life dance club was established to keep Filipinos connected, engender friendship among Filipinos and locals, and give people a community where they can experience fun and enjoy the gift of life. During the pandemic, their activities were very important in maintaining their members’ good health through their participation in ZOOM events for Line dance which were coordinated by Ms. Mercy Flores and documented by Mr. Edgardo Resulto. END—