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PR-47-2020

29 August 2020, Toronto, Ontario – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto participated in the 1st virtual Mabuhay Philippines Festival of the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) held on 22 and 23 August 2020. It was the first time that the annual event was celebrated in a virtually-simulated programming to conform with the social distancing and mass gathering restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PIDC has hosted the Mabuhay Philippines Festival for over two (2) decades now and persevered to continue the tradition in 2020, despite the pandemic, to uplift the spirits and morale of everyone who, in one way or another, was affected by the pandemic.

The 9-hour pre-recorded show was streamed on 22 and 23 August 2020 from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm via PIDC’s website. Pamana was hosted by Ms. Melissa Grelo, an award-winning Filipino-Canadian TV personality and host of CTV’s The Social” and “Your Morning”, and Ms. Cristina Carpio, host of the luxury travel show, “Going Global TV Season 2”, launched on CNBC World.

The program was opened with the singing of the Philippine and Canadian national anthems, a short film clip of Philippines Land of the Enchanted, and a warm welcome from the show hosts. Ms. Norma Carpio, founder of PIDC and Chairman of the Mabuhay Philippines Festival, gave her welcome message.

Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia and Consul General Orontes V. Castro’s video messages for the frontline workers, viewers, and organizers of Pamana were featured in the program. In her message, Ambassador Garcia emphasized that the occasion is an “opportunity to honor and thank the many members of the Filipino community who continue to battle the pandemic in Canada and provide much-needed service to the public. Their work reminds us of the true essence of bayanihan and how each one of us has a role to play in protecting our communities.” Consul General Castro, on the other hand, appreciated the perseverance of the organizers for putting-up the festival despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and mentioned that “though we are not able to get together in person for this fiesta, we are comforted in knowing that more people from all over the world will be able to witness the event.”

There were also pre-recorded messages from Canadian government officials. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “… this isn’t how we typically celebrate but even without the in-person street parade and the many tastes and sounds that go with it, we are still going to celebrate your culture and heritage today because it is important to find new ways to come together during these difficult times.” The other Canadian officials whose video messages were shared came from Ontario Premiere Doug Ford, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco Mendicino, Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, Michael Levitt, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Filipino-Canadian Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa, and Mr. Raj Thavaratnasingham, President of the Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario. Their messages hailed the many contributions of Filipino-Canadians especially the generosity of the spirit of frontline and essential workers during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the interview portion with Dr. Eileen de Villa, she was asked how much her culture influence her and her being in a very important role in Toronto Public Health, especially during the pandemic. To this, Dr. de Villa replied, “as part of a global community, we recognize that we have a role…and responsibility to play and I take that seriously. How I try to pay it forward is to make sure that I tell people that I‘m very proud of that Filipino heritage of mine and I support as many Filipino community endeavours as I can.” She added that “What I think is really incredible with Filipino heritage is that there is this really deep understanding of the benefit and the strength that you derive from family…and the community and when you put that together with public health, how else can you be other than to feel that this is the right and incredible opportunity.”

The bubbly co-hosts Grelo and Carpio interviewed well-known personalities on how the pandemic has affected them, how they continued their lives and careers despite the limitations, and gave their grateful messages to the frontline workers, Filipino and other nationalities alike. They interviewed renowned fashion designers Renee Salud, Francis Libiran, Kenneth Barlis, Dita Sandico, Jaki Peñalosa, and Shanon Pamaong; Filipino-Canadian TV news personalities, Pauline Chan (CTV News Health & Lifestyle anchor), Zuraidah Alman (CTV News Late-Night Local Newscast anchor/reporter), Kayla Marie Williams (CP24 Breaking News anchor/reporter), and Hazel Mae Barker (MLB Network sporstscaster/anchor); and other famous personalities as Joey Albert, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss International 2013 Bea Santiago, PIDC Pageant beauties, multi-award-winning Broadway producer Jhett Tolentino, Miss Saigon star Maan Dionisio, Gawad Kalinga advocate Pidoy Pacis, among others.

Pamana also presented the evolution of Mabuhay Philippines Parade, from its launch in 1998 to mark the 100th year of the declaration of Philippine Independence.

The virtual festival also featured the rich culture, heritage, and arts of the Philippines-through dances, music, textile, fashion, and games. The festival also showcased the popular Sinulog and Dinagyang Philippine festivals, as well as various Philippine folk dances by Toronto-based Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe, Kahayag Dance Company Philippines, a Singkil presentation by the Kalahi Philippine Dance Company, a Tinikling dance by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Sayaw sa Bangko, a Tinikling Battle, and Larong Lahi by the Bituin Dance Team.

The celebration showcased non-stop entertainment featuring Filipino and Filipino-Canadian talents and presentations - El Gamma Penumbra, Bale Balayan Kids, Kiara Miranda Fina, Dannica Carpio, a ballroom dancing presentation, the University of the Philippines Manila Chorale, Maan Dionisio, Dylan Miranda Sinclair, Martha Joy, Emilio Zarris, Antonette Targa, Belinda Corpuz, Danny Orbillo, Chyrell Samson, Jennifer Camacho, Josie de Leon, Celine Gray, and Nicolas Manlapaz, Alyssa Datu, Maria Panaligan, Jennifer Uy, Pinolepa Acachamps, Chrell Samson, Precious Hernandez, Michael Elefano, Melanie Lazaro, Maria Panaligan, Scott Dion Brown, Moira dela Torre, and the University of North Texas College of Music’s rendition of Philippine song Rosas Pandan, among others.

Community greetings from the officers of PIDC was also an interesting part of the program. The major sponsors and community partners of PIDC were also presented.

The online show manifested PIDC’s advocacy of preserving and promoting Filipino culture, heritage, traditions, and arts. It was also an opportunity to experience the Filipinos’ inherit virtue of resiliency in difficult times. In the words of Ms. Norma Carpio, PIDC Mabuhay Philippines Festival Chairman, “As part of PIDC’s contribution to the global community, the virtual Mabuhay Philippines Festival this year is a great and timely platform to recognize those who risk their lives to save lives, as frontline workers, as we pay a noble tribute for their gallantry and dedication in serving humankind.”

The PIDC Mabuhay Philippines Festival officially ended with a message from PIDC President Ramon Estaris. He highlighted the significance of Pamana, “PIDC stood up to its mandate and objective, to inspire and serve the community and above all, this serves as a tribute to our modern day heroes, our frontliners who are working and risking their lives in the service of the people.” END  

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PR 44-2020

24 August 2020, Toronto, Ontario – Continuing its celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, Sentro Rizal Toronto held a Poetry Reading activity for the Philippine Consulate General personnel on 19 August 2020. Consul General Orontes Castro organized the activity to coincide with the commemoration of the 142nd birth anniversary of the second Philippine president Manuel Luis Quezon (1935-1944), after Emilio Aguinaldo (1899-1901). President Quezon was also regarded as the Ama ng Wikang Pambansa (Father of the National Language), hence the Buwan ng Wika being celebrated in August, his birth month.

Mas Matalino ang Tubig, a poem by National Artist and former Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), was chosen as the literacy piece to be read during the Poetry Reading activity for the Consulate General personnel.

Mr. John Dan Elijah S. Fajardo, Post’s Protocol & Security Officer and Consular Assistant in-charge of Dual Citizenship, read the original Filipino version of the poem. On the other hand, the English version entitled “Water is Wiser” was read by Ms. Mildred Decena, Consular Assistant in-charge of Civil Registry.

The literary activity is one of the projects by Post, under the Sentro Rizal program, to promote appreciation for Philippine culture, heritage, and arts among the Consulate personnel, as well as for their self-development. END

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PR-46-2020

25 August 2020, Toronto, Ontario – Sentro Rizal Toronto of the Philippine Consulate General staged a virtual musical concert dubbed HARANA, featuring Ms. Renee Fajardo, a Filipino mezzo soprano currently studying at the University of Toronto Opera, and Mr. Ron Michael Adea, a gifted and talented pianist named Ambassador for the Geneva Centre for Autism 2010 International Symposium. The pre-recorded virtual concert celebrating Philippine music was streamed beginning at 8:00 pm of 21 August 2020 and will be available for viewing until 31 August 2020, via the Philippine Consulate General Toronto’s official website and Facebook page. The virtual concert is one of the series of events organized by Sentro Rizal Toronto to continue celebrating Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa and to show appreciation for all frontline workers, especially our kababayans, for their selfless service during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virtual activity is also one avenue for Sentro Rizal Toronto to continue promoting and celebrating Philippine culture, arts, and language to mainstream Canadian society, as well as appreciating Philippine talents, despite the restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks done in Filipino, Consul General Castro mentioned that Harana (Serenade), a means by which one expresses feelings for a loved one, is an important part of Philippine culture. He again thanked the Filipino and other frontliners for their selfless dedicated service during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also offered the concert to Philippine Ambassador to Canada, the Honorable Petronila P. Garcia, as appreciation for her commitment and dedicated service to the Philippine government and the Filipino community in Canada.

To date, Harana has already 4,000 views, 2,190 engagements, 129 likes, 131 comments and 79 shares. It has reached 7,175 people through sharing of the video and the announcement, so it is expected that there will be more views until the end of its screening on 31 August 2020.

One of the featured artists, Filipino Mezzo-soprano Renee Fajardo was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She graduated with First Class honours from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2019, with further support from the National Commission of Culture and the Arts of the Philippines. Her operatic roles include Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro (U of T Opera), Donna Anna in Don Jo (Grimeborn Opera Festival), Public Opinion in Orpheus in the Underworld (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), The Assistant in The Tsar wants his Photo Taken (UCL Performance Lab) and Fanny Price in the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park (U of T Opera). She has also performed as a soloist across the Philippines, UK, France, Austria, Greece, and Switzerland and is a recent member of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. She is also a mentor for the recently-launched independent opera collective, Opera InReach.

Renee serenaded the frontline workers with the kundiman songs (traditional Filipino art songs) Sa Kabukiran by composer Manuel Velez and Kundiman ng Luha by Nicanor Abelardo. Her third song, Awit ni Sisa, was taken from Kanser: The Musical and showed some excerpts from the actual musical play. Kanser: The Musical is the longest-running straight play in Philippine theater history, based on the classic novel of Dr. Jose Rizal, Noli Me Tangere. The musical play is an original production of Gantimpala Theatre Foundation, with libretto by Jomar Fleras, music by Jed Balsamo and direction by Frannie Zamora. Renee’s last song was a prayer for frontline workers, the Ave Maria by Filipino musician and composer Francisco Santiago, sometimes called The Father of Kundiman Art Song. Ron Michael Adea, the other featured artist, is a gifted twenty-seven-year-old pianist who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was three (3) years old. Ron manifested his love for music at the early age of 5 and learned to play the piano by himself at age 7. Then he was taken in by a renowned piano tutor, adjudicator, and performer, Ms. Eileen Keown. In November 2010, Ron was named Ambassador for the Geneva Center for Autism Symposium in Toronto and performed the following year for the Centre’s Gala Night and Auction at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He shows his appreciation for all his blessings and achievements by volunteering in the community. He plays for their local church choir, as well as the VIVA Retirement Home in Mississauga and the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, among others, entertaining residents and symposium attendees, respectively.

Ron played two (2) Filipinos songs, Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal by renowned composer Ernani Cuenco and lyricist Levi Celerio, and Ako’y Isang Pinoy by composer Florante. He also dedicated his rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, from the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Musical Carousel, to the frontline workers. He also did a brilliant rendition of the pieces Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin and Kiss the Rain by Yiruma, a South Korean pianist and composer. The last part of the concert was a message from Ms. Maria Rosario Quinto, President of the Integrated Filipino Canadian Nurses Association. She thanked Post for spearheading the virtual musical concert dedicated to the frontline workers. She also thanked all the people who showed appreciation, love, and care, and continue to support the frontline and essential workers during the pandemic.

Ms. Maria Rosario Quinto (top left photo), President of the Integrated Filipino Canadian Nurses Association, thanked Consul General Orontes V. Castro for the wonderful musical concert, Harana, dedicated to the frontline workers, which is a great source of inspiration and encouragement. The frontline workers, Filipinos and of other nationalities, who perform their duties beyond what is expected of them, to be able to save lives. END  

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PR 45-2020

19 August 2020, Toronto, Ontario – Sentro Rizal Toronto of the Philippine Consulate General, led by Consul General Orontes Castro, staged the first of its series of activities in celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa - the special screening of the film by Dr. Patrick Alcedo, Dancing Manilenyos. The premiere screening was held on 15 August 2020 at 8:00 pm, via the Consulate General’s official website and Facebook page, and will be shown until 19 August 2020, the Araw ng Wikang Pambansa. It will again be available for viewing for another week, from 30 August 2020 until 5 September 2020.

In his remarks, Consul General Castro emphasized that we should love our national language because it is a means by which people are united and understand one another. He also highlighted the sacrifices of all frontline workers during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the hope that people, especially the youth will take inspiration from them. He also thanked Dr. Alcedo for sharing his film with Sentro Rizal Toronto and hopes that the lessons learned from the film will inspire the viewers to continue supporting our kababayans and our country.
Dancing Manilenyos is a multi-awarded documentary film about the dreams of young Filipinos in Manila of making it big in the ballet world. It also talks about the hope and sacrifices of a ballet teacher, Luther Perez, who wishes to help lift his students, Victor Maguad among others, out of poverty, through the artistic and life skills that can be learned from dancing. The film also shows that students come together, help and respect one another, despite their disparate social class.

Ms. Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Director of Steps Dance Studio, said in the documentary film that kids from all walks of life come to their dance studio, "but the moment they come in to the school, everybody equalizes. And when that happens…they learn from each other and there’s a respect that grows from one to the other." Ms. Zobel-Elizalde also shared a wonderful statement, "Hard work is hard work. There is no division of where you come from and who you are. But it’s how you excel, your work ethic, your dedication, your natural talent and your passion" that applies not only to ballet but in anyone’s chosen career.

Ms. Margie Moran, President of Ballet Philippines, said on the other hand that, "Our dancers are either wealthy or they’re not. They look as dancing not as a hobby but as a career and they see a future no matter how much it pays them because they have passion. Even the rich ones… because they love what they do, it’s something that is part of their dream - to be a prima ballerina."
The film received numerous awards and recognitions. Selected from among 347 submissions from 35 countries, it was an official selection at the 2019 Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase. It won an Impact Doc Award, a Spotlight Documentary Film Award, a Global Shorts Award of Merit, and an Award of Recognition from the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Film Award and was premiered at the famous Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California. It was also an official selection at the Chelsea International Film Festival in Manhattan, New York, the Ethnografilm Festival in Paris, France, and the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival in 2018.

Dr. Patrick Alcedo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Dance of the York University, the 3rd biggest university in Canada. He is the director, writer, and producer of six (6) documentary films, including Dancing Manilenyos. His other film A Piece of Paradise won both Centennial Best Canadian Film Award and the National Bank First Feature Film Award, the first film in the festival to have garnered a back-to-back win. He was also the Artistic Director of the Philippine Consulate General-Sentro Rizal Toronto’s dance production, INDAK, that was the highlight of the Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month celebrations in June 2018.

In his remarks, Dr. Alcedo thanked the people and institution that made the film possible - the collaborative labor of love of people who shared their time, effort and pieces of their lives, and the grant from the Early Researcher Award of the Government of Ontario which he won. He also mentioned that he is honoured for Dancing Manilenyos forming part of the Philippine Consulate General's Sentro Rizal Toronto's celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa. To date, the screening of Dancing Manilenyos has already 3,800 views, 1,852 engagements, 113 likes, 9 comments and 46 shares. It has reached 7,100 people through sharing of the video and the announcement, so it is expected that there will be more views until its screening in the first week of September. - END