GOVPH

• Print

20 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is pleased to inform that a consular team led by Consul General Orontes V. Castro conducted the Consular Outreach Mission in the South-central town in Ontario of Orangeville on 18 September 2021.

The Overseas Filipino applicants were thankful to the consular team for undertaking the outreach mission and for providing consular and other services to Overseas Filipinos in Orangeville. The consular outreach mission was supported by the Orangeville Filipino Community and Surrounding Area (ORFILCO) led by its President, Mr. Guillermo F. Gazmen. Certificate of Appreciation was given to ORFILCO for its invaluable support to the Consular Team during the outreach mission.

A total of 194 consular services (including 57 Overseas Absentee Voters registration) were extended to Overseas Filipinos in Orangeville.

Another Consular Outreach Mission is scheduled next week in the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. END-

• Print

PR-2021-52

13 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is pleased to inform that a consular team led by Consul General Orontes V. Castro conducted the Consular Outreach Missions in the Southwestern Ontario City of Windsor and Municipality of Leamington on 11 and 12 September 2021, respectively. The representatives from POLO-Toronto and SSS joined the consular mission to reply and attend to queries on employment, membership with OWWA and SSS, and financial and non-monetary benefits for retirees and members of the SSS and OWWA.

The Overseas Filipino applicants were thankful to the consular team for undertaking the outreach mission and for providing consular and other services to Overseas Filipinos in Manitoba. The consular outreach missions were supported by the Filipino Community of Windsor and Essex County, Inc. in the City of Windsor (11 September) led by its President, Mr. Camilo Santos; and the Christ the Livingstone Fellowship Church in Leamington (12 September) led by Pastor Arnel Deogracias. Certificates of Appreciation were given to the two Filipino community organizations/Church for their invaluable support to the Consular Team during the outreach missions.

A total of 413 consular services (including 148 Overseas Absentee Voters registration) were extended to Overseas Filipinos in the City of Windsor and Leamington.

Another Consular Outreach Missions are scheduled this month in the South-central town in Ontario of Orangeville and the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. END-

• Print

PR-2021-53

13 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – Philippine Consul General in Toronto, Consul General Orontes V. Castro, presented the awardees from the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) with their Quincentennial appreciation plaques during the Regular Meeting of the TCDSB’s Committee on Student Achievement and Well-being, Catholic Education and Human Resources held on Thursday, 2 September 2021 at 7:00 pm. Consul General Castro joined virtually the meeting.

The 15-minute Presentation of the Quincentennial Awards was included in the agenda of the meeting chaired by Committee Chair and Trustee Garry Tanuan, a Filipino Canadian, and forms part of the Awards Presentation that transpired after the Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of the City of Toronto at the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica on 27 August 2021.

Trustee Tanuan highlighted the team work and collaboration between the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and the TCDSB-Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines (QJCP) team. He said that a lot was accomplished throughout the year of the QJCP celebration, kicking-off with the landmark TCDSB Proclamation approving on 17 September 2020 its celebration in all schools under its jurisdiction, the signing of the Proclamation and launch of the Philippine Consulate General’s Padayon Art Competition on 23 October 2020, followed by the 500-Year Milestone Virtual Future on 16 March 2021, and the historic commemoration of the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines and Announcement of the Padayon Art Competition Winners at the TCDSB’s Catholic Education Centre on 31 March 2021. He also mentioned the other virtual events leading up to the Thanksgiving Mass and Presentation of Quincentennial Awards on 27 August 2021, namely the virtual school visits and games in many schools and Board-wide in June 2021, the Filipino Heritage Day and Filipino Heritage Month Virtual Celebrations, and many more collaborative and commemorative events in the community.

Dr. Brendan Browne, Director of Education of the TCDSB also gave his speech in appreciation of the work of and the partnership with the Philippine Consulate General led by Consul General Castro for the celebration of the momentous occasion. He emphasized that 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines is something that the TCDSB celebrates because a large number of their students are of Philippine heritage and many of the Catholic parishes in Toronto are flourishing because of the contributions of the Filipino community.

The Committee Vice Chair, Trustee Teresa Lubinski also expressed her appreciation to Consul General Castro for the opportunity to honor the QJCP celebrations and to learn about the Filipino community. She also praised the Consul General for giving life to the theme “Gifted to Give” and for being a virtuous example.

Before presenting the Quincentennial plaques to the TCDSB awardees, Consul General Castro conveyed his thanks to TCDSB Chair Joseph Martino, Dr. Browne, and the TCDSB Trustees. He said that Toronto’s celebration of the Philippine Quincentennial Commemorations is among the vibrant and well-participated by both the Filipino Canadians and mainstream Canadians. He praised the TCDSB for commemorating the milestone event with the Philippine Consulate General despite the ongoing pandemic and its challenges. He mentioned that the TCDSB was the first Canadian government agency and perhaps the first in the world that issued a Proclamation for the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. He added that the TCDSB, together with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB), joined and became the Philippine Consulate General’s partners in the Padayon Art Competition, with the support of the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts, where brave parents, students and teachers from the Archdiocese of Toronto submitted a total of 111 artworks. He also emphasized the inspiring messages of hope and healing that were shared by the student participants through their respective Artist Statements.

Consul General read the Quincentennial Award of Chair Martino and the other officials and staff of the TCDSB who were not present during the Thanksgiving Mass and Quincentennial Award Presentation held on 27 August 2021 at the St. Michael’s Cathedral. He ended his speech thanking all the officials and staff of the TCDSB, from a grateful nation and Filipino people. Trustee Tanuan also thanked Consul General Castro and his staff for their generous contribution of time, talent and treasure. – END

• Print

PR-2021-51

8 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Filipino Canadian Community in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) attended, together with the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto led by Consul General Orontes V. Castro, the Thanksgiving Mass held on 27 August 2021 at 2:00 pm. to commemorate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Holy Mass was organized by the Consulate General and was celebrated by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of the City of Toronto at the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica.

His Eminence Cardinal Collins mentioned during the Mass that the great celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines is an occasion to give thanks to God for the rich graces and blessings bestowed not only in the Philippines but also upon the Archdiocese and all over the world, through the example of Christian faith and devotion that comes from the great gift of faith.

Officials from the two (2) largest Catholic District Boards, Toronto and Dufferin-Peel were also in attendance. Both the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District Board (DPCDSB) issued Proclamations approving the celebration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines on 23 October 2020 and 24 March 2021, respectively, in all schools under their jurisdiction. Two (2) Filipino Canadian elected and currently seated Trustees in both Boards, Vice Chair and Trustee Luz del Rosario of the DPCDSB and Trustee Garry Tanuan of the TCDSB, worked very hard for the passage of the Proclamations approving the celebration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines, as well as to the success of Sentro Rizal Toronto and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Padayon Art Competition, which was very well welcomed and participated in by Filipino Canadian and mainstream Canadian students of both Boards.

After the Thanksgiving Mass, Consul General Orontes V. Castro thanked His Eminence for celebrating the symbolic mass at the historic cathedral. Consul General Castro presented His Eminence the Cardinal with a Quincentennial Award plaque for his exemplary leadership and inspiration and invaluable and full support to the Filipino Community and the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto. Consul General Castro also thanked the Filipino Canadians, as well as the mainstream Canadian communities for their support and for attending the Thanksgiving Mass.

Consul General Castro handed out Quincentennial Award plaques and certificates to the leaders of the Filipino Canadian community organizations and media, as well as officials from the TCDSB and DPCDSB awardees who were present during the event. The Quincentennial Awardees were previously announced on 12 June 2021 during the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto’s Virtual Programme commemorating the 123rd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Filipino Heritage Month and the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.

The event was a testament to the Consulate General’s mission of unifying the Filipino Canadian Community under its jurisdiction, as well as in maintaining link and goodwill with the two Catholic District School Boards in charge of the education of a large number of students with Filipino descent. TCDSB and DPCDSB have 91,000 and 81,000 secondary and elementary students, respectively. – END