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PR No. 12-2020

14 February 2020, Toronto-Consul General Orontes V. Castro (middle) and Deputy Consul General Edna May Grecia-Lazaro (foreground, 4th from right) met with Fr. Sherwin Holandez (to the left of Consul General Castro), Chaplain of the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish and other members of the Organizing Committee preparing for the 500th Year (Quincentenary) Jubilee of the Arrival of the Gospel in the Philippines (1521-2021).

19 February 2020-Members of the Religious and the Catholic laity are preparing for the celebration of the 500th Year (Quincentenary) Jubilee of the Arrival of the Gospel in the Philippines (1521-2021). Philippine Consul General Orontes V. Castro and Deputy Consul General Edna May Grecia-Lazaro met with members of the Organizing Committee established for this purpose on 14 February 2020 at the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish (OLA) in Toronto. The Organizing Committee is headed by Fr. Sherwin Holandez, Filipino Chaplain at OLA and composed of members of the religious and the Catholic laity.

The Committee discussed, among others, the programs and activities scheduled to be held starting August of this year. The programs and activities will be held at the Diocesan, regional and parish levels. At the Diocesan level, the highlight of the commemoration will be a back to back jubilee of Filipino-Canadian Clergy and that of Filipino-Canadian families, youth and lay associations and movements.

The Committee is also planning to link up with a Filipino organization that can assist in organizing a Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan. Consul General Castro offered to assist the Committee in contacting an appropriate Filcom organization that can participate in the Flores de Mayo and assured the group of the Consulate General’s support and active participation in the events leading up to the Quincentennial commemoration next year. END.

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19 February 2020, Toronto-On 15 February 2020, Consul General Orontes V. Castro convened a meeting of several organizations who usually organize their respective flag-raising ceremony during Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month (FHM) celebrations in Toronto. Prior to this meeting, Consul General Castro met with the individual organizations to gather support for the Consulate’s Independence Day activities and get their commitment to work together as one Filipino community for the success of succeeding Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month activities. Consul General Castro was also able to gather their support for the Quincentennial Commemoration in 2021. The organizations, through their respective representatives, agreed to sign on 15 February 2020 a Memorandum of Unity and Cooperation to memorialize their commitments.

The purpose of the Memorandum is to provide the foundation and structure for all possibly anticipated agreement/s related to the conduct of the flag-raising ceremony/ies and other activities held on June 12 of every year, activities celebrating Filipino Heritage Month and those related to the 2021 Quincentennial Commemoration. Under the Memorandum, the organizations committed to work together, collaborate and foster unity and synchronize their efforts towards fulfilling the abovestated purpose. They also promised to work closely with other Filipino-Canadian organizations, individual members of the community and other entities, to ensure the success of the above-stated activities.

The following organizations signed the Memorandum of Unity and Cooperation: 1) Federation of Filipino Canadians in Ontario, represented by Ms. Monina Lim-Serrano; 2) Flag Raising Committee, represented by Mr. Tote Quizan; 3) Filipino Heritage Council of Canada, represented by Mr. Tony San Juan; 4) Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation, represented by Ms. Rosemer Enverga; 5) Philippine Independence Day Council, represented by Ms. Norma Carpio and Ms. Susy Llanera(signed on behalf of PIDC’s President Mr. Ramon Estaris); and 6) Mr. Garry Tanuan, in his capacity as Trustee of Ward 8, Toronto Catholic District School Boad (TCDSB). END.

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PR No. 13-2020

20 February 2020, Toronto- Officers of the Muslim Filipino Association of Canada (MFAC) met with Consul General Orontes V. Castro on 20 February 2020 at the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto.
(From left to right:) Ms. Emraida Gawan, Vice-President; Mr. Jonathan Macala, President; Consul General Orontes V. Castro; Deputy Consul General Edna May Grecia-Lazaro; Ms. Riza Khamal, Secretary; Ms. Ana Rose Domingo, Treasurer.

25 February 2020, Toronto-Philippine Consul General Orontes V. Castro met with the officers of the Muslim Filipino Association of Canada (MFAC) on 20 February 2020 at the Consulate’s Conference Room. The officers of the organization expressed appreciation for the Consul General’s gesture of reaching out to the organization.

Consul General Castro and the officers of MFAC discussed possible joint activities and areas for cooperation to further promote peace and cultural understanding. Consul General Castro also invited MFAC to participate in the upcoming activities to celebrate the 122nd Anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence and Filipino Heritage Month in June. END

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PR No. 09-2020

20 February 2020 – Philippine Consul General Orontes Castro in Toronto made a courtesy call on Kitchener City Mayor Berry Vrbanovic at the Mayor’s Office on 19 February 2020. Kitchener City, Ontario forms part of the western end of the Toronto-Waterloo Region Corridor, a 100 km. stretch which is the second largest technology cluster in North America.

During the call, Consul General Castro and Mayor Vrbanovic discussed issues of mutual interest, including the opportunity for Filipino students to pursue different courses in Kitchener’s universities and colleges, student and faculty exchanges between PH and Kitchener-based CA universities, Kitchener’s growing knowledge-based industries focused on technology and innovation that could employ IT workers including Filipinos, and forming partnerships in other areas.

Consul General Castro also conveyed to Mayor Vrbanovic the intent of Cebu City to renew its partnership with Kitchener City in areas such as city fire management and digitalization of HR and procurement systems, which were successfully implemented years ago. Mayor Vrbanovic replied that Kitchener would support such partnerships if the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which sponsored the previous projects, or other government agencies would provide support for such programs. He also stated that Cebu City officials gave Kitchener City a city crest made from nacre or Mother of Pearl, which is prominently displayed at the city hall entrance.

Mayor Vrbanovic added that he has visited Manila years ago and continues to work with a Philippine local government official under the United Cities and Local Governments, an umbrella international organization of cities, local and regional governments and municipal organizations based in Barcelona, Spain. Consul General Castro also added that he looks forward to working with Mayor Vrbanovic in several fields including education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Mayor Vrbanovic was elected into office in 2014 and prior to that, he served as Kitchener City Councilor representing Ward 2 from 1994 to 2014. -END

Philippine Consul General Orontes Castro (R) presents a Mother of Pearl bowl from the Philippines to Kitchener City Mayor Berry Vrbanovic at the Mayor’s Office on 19 February 2020. (Photo by PCG Toronto)

Consul General Castro receives from Mayor Vrbanovic a Kitchener City publication “We Built This”.

The Kitchener City Crest made from nacre or Mother of Pearl, prominently displayed at the Kitchener City Hall, was donated by Cebu City Officials to honor the partnership between the two cities. (Photo by PCG Toronto)