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PR-2021-28

25 June 2021 – A Virtual Celebration of Filipino Heritage Month (FHM) organized by the Office of Member of Parliament Honourable Salma Zahid and coordinated by Filipino Canadian Mr. Nestor Arellano, Constituency Assistant at the House of Commons, was held on 18 June 2021.

Consul General Orontes V. Castro joined the celebration via Zoom and delivered his message to the Filipino Community. He mentioned that the celebrations in June of FHM and the 123rd Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day are opportunities to commemorate and be thankful to the priceless gift of freedom that our ancestors and heroes gave us. He thanked the many Filipino frontline and essential workers who have equally offered their lives to care for and save people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also thanked MP Zahid for authoring the Motion and for assisting his fellow Filipinos in her riding.

Members of the Filipino Canadian community who are under MP Zahid’s constituency likewise attended the virtual event. Everyone conveyed their respective messages and mentioned the significance of the FHM celebration.

MP Zahid, representing more than 14,000 Filipinos in her riding at Scarborough Centre in Ontario, was the author of Motion No. 155 declaring June every year as Filipino Heritage Month across Canada, from coast to coast to coast. The Motion was approved on 30 October 2018 during the 1st Session of the 42nd Parliament.

MP Zahid praised the Filipino Canadian community because she saw that their spirits were not dampened because of the pandemic. The community persevered in celebrating Filipino Heritage Month in alternative ways and continued their mission of showcasing the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines and promoting awareness of the Filipino Canadian origin. - END

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PR-2021-27

Toronto, 21June 2021 – H.E. Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles and Consul General Orontes V. Castro joined the Virtual Show organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) themed “Makisaya at Magdiwang sa Araw ng Kasarinlan” which was streamed via PIDC’s Facebook Live on 18 June 2021 at 7:30 pm. The virtual event was in celebration of the 123rd Anniversary of Philippine Independence and Filipino Heritage Month. This PIDC event was part of the Filipino Community’s common cultural program for the whole year of 2021 organized by Post, titled “Harana: Patuloy na Paghilom at Inspirasyon Para sa Ating mga Kabababayan.”

Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles’ and Consul General Orontes V. Castro’s video messages were featured during the virtual Independence Day event. Ambassador Robles mentioned that as we celebrate the momentous event of Philippine Independence, we should remember the “bravery and nationalism of our Filipino fathers who offered their lives for our freedom 123 years ago”, while Consul General Castro congratulated the PIDC officers for once more proving that the challenges of the current pandemic will not deter PIDC from sharing the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines to the Canadian audience, as well as the second and third generation of Filipino Canadians.

A Pambansang Trivia gave excitement to the show as gift card vouchers were given to the lucky winners. Entertainment was provided by local talents, young and adults alike. Ms. Chyrell Samson-Ronquillo serenaded the online audience with kundiman and Filipino love songs as “O Maliwanag na Buwan”, “Sinisinta Kita”, among others. A fashion show of Renee Salud creations was also one of the highlights of the virtual program. The official music video and official jingle of PIDC 2021 were presented and played throughout the virtual event. – END

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PR-2021-26

17 June 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines (TCDSB-QJCP) team conducted two (2) more sessions of virtual school visits on 7 June 2021, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, to celebrate Filipino Heritage Month (FHM). Consul General Orontes V. Castro participated as one of the panelists in the online activities, which were similar to the virtual school visits organized in March 2021. The other panelists in attendance were Trustee Garry Tanuan, Filipino Heritage Council of Canada’s Chairman Mr. Tony San Juan, and QJCP member Ms. Suzy Llanera. TCDSB Community Relations Officer Ms. Jody Huang also attended the virtual visit.

During his greetings to the virtual audience, Consul General Castro thanked the TCDSB for partnering with the Philippine Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal Toronto’s Padayon Art Competition and for the students and parents who participated. He also recognized the invaluable support of the administrators, principals and personnel of the TCDSB-run schools by relentlessly promoting the art competition. He likewise explained the significance of the celebration of Filipino Heritage Month and how it recognizes the many contributions of the Filipino and Filipino Canadian Community to the Canadian society’s economy, diverse culture, and most especially to the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the annual celebration of June of FHM as become an inspiration to Filipinos and Filipino Canadians to strive more and to give back to the community.

The virtual school visits of the TCDSB-run schools were moderated by TCDSB Catholic Student Leadership Coordinator Mr. Michael Consul. The emcees were Misses Marianne Chua and Adeana Ching-a-Sue, both Grade 11 students at St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School and currently doing coop placement in the Catholic Student Leadership Department of the TCDSB.

A Kahoot game was featured during the school visits and participated in by more than 100 students, vying for a prize sponsored by the QJCP team. The nine (9) questions in the game were based on the QJCP Virtual Commemoration video, which was shown during the sessions.

At the end of the virtual school visit sessions, the students were given an opportunity to ask the panelists questions, e.g. who their faith role models are and what they learned from them; their favorite Bible stories and why; their favorite Filipino dish; their advise to students on how to balance a life of faith given the influence social media has-what it says about one’s culture and faith. -END