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Toronto, July 15, 2019– PCG Toronto attended the bata to Batapreneur Children’s Business Fair held at the hall of the Holy Eucharist Catholic Church in Toronto on 13 July 2019. The event showcased the various products and services offered by participating batapreneurs or child entrepreneurs, mostly Filipinos and Filipino-Canadians, in the province of Ontario. The event was organized by the non-profit organization, b2Bpreneur, led by founder and CEO Janet Lim.

Deputy Consul General Bernadette Therese Fernandez delivers her remarks at the Opening Ceremonies of the bata to Batapreneur Year 2 Children’s Business Fair at the hall of the Holy Eucharist Catholic Church on July 13, 2019.

PCG Toronto Acting Head of Post Bernadette Therese Fernandez, in her remarks, thanked the community leaders and parents for supporting the children in their “business” activities that day. She said that the experience that participating children will have during the fair will build character, financial awareness, value for others, trust, and confidence, among others. Other guest speakers of the event included Julie Dabrusin, MP for Toronto-Danforth, Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni Alvero, Trade Office Section, and Mr. Steve Pagao, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Toronto.

The batapreneurs set up booths and sold various products and services to the public.

About 50 child entrepreneurs, aged 8 to 18 years old, joined in the business fair. The participants sold products including food, t-shirts, paintings, ref magnets, and home-made soaps. The batapreneurs also participated in a segment called “Sell it to Me” where they promoted their products to the public onstage.

Inspirational speakers who shared their business and professional experiences to the young participants included Aristotle Domingo, amputee and runner, Amirah Mahomed and her team of Virtuous Waste and Dr. Eileen De Villa, Chief Medical Officer for City of Toronto.

The batapreneurs pose with the organizers, emcees, judges and guests.

At the conclusion of the event, the judges awarded the following winners: Most Profitable Business - Limon (Marcus Justice Uy); Most Promising Business - Bake with Mackie (Mackie Lay and Chanelle Tesoro); Most Eye-Catching Booth - Sophie’s (Sean Gabriel Abaja and Cole Matthew Abaja); Best in Customer Service - Junior: Malikhain (Zariah De Villa and Gavin De Villa) / Senior: J&J (Jonie Leonen and Jaera Leonen); Most Creative Business - Winner: Feel Good (Isabella Cortes and Summer Rosales); 1st Runner-Up: Teeny Cutee (Gillian Murphy); 2nd Runner-Up: Georgina and Nina’s Soap (Georgina Baldon and Nina Baldon); 3rd Runner-Up: Rei & Caella’s Corner (Reianna Clarete and Ricaella Clarete); Batapreneur of the Year 2019 - Feel Good (Isabella Cortes and Summer Rosales); Sell It To Me - Junior: Feel Good (Isabella Cortes and Summer Rosales) / Senior: CS Designs (Kyla Cuesta and Sabine Cuesta). -END

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09 July 2019, Toronto--Toronto-based alumni associations of various Philippine colleges and universities kick-started an expected busy summer 2019 for the Filipino community with its annual picnic and Summerfest. The picnic was held on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at the Mississauga Valley Community Park. Deputy Consul General Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez, Consuls Edna May Grecia-Lazaro and Edwin Gil Q. Mendoza graced the annual Summerfest. Philippine College and Universities Alumni Associations (PCUAA) is an umbrella organization of different alumni associations representing colleges and universities from Philippines.

Deputy Consul General Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez delivers her remarks during the annual picnic and Summerfest of the Philippine College and Universities Alumni Association (PCUAA) held on Sunday, July 9, 2019 at the Mississauga Valley Community Park.

In her speech, Deputy Consul General hFernandez congratulated PCUAA for “once again coming together as a community of colleges and universities-united in reminiscing excellent education in the Philippines and happily re-enacting active participation in sports when we were still in university.” “Let us embrace the outdoors, let us feel the warmth of the air and come together as a community to play, eat and reflect upon life in general,” she added.

Deputy Consul General Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez delivers her remarks during the annual picnic and Summerfest of the Philippine College and Universities Alumni Association (PCUAA) held on Sunday, July 9, 2019 at the Mississauga Valley Community Park.

Through the annual summerfest picnic, the PCUAA aims to foster communication, involvement, cooperation, and friendship among alumni association members, their families and friends. The picnic boasts of the salo-salo lunch, where all alumni are encouraged to share food with other alumni associations, performances by individual members or groups, children’s games and inter-alumni sports competitions. END.

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The cast of the play “Through the Bamboo” receive accolades from the audience.

10 July 2019, Toronto-The officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, its attached agencies and members of their family, watched the world premiere of the Filipino-Canadian play entitled “Through the Bamboo” last Monday, July 8, 2019 at the Factory Theatre in downtown Toronto.

Inspired by Philippine mythology, “Through the Bamboo” is an action-packed adventure about the value of storytelling, and how families deal with loss. Through the Bamboo will be performed at the Factory Theatre Mainspace starting July 3 until July 14, 2019 as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Following is a summary of Through the Bamboo, based on the play’s website: “When Philly’s Lola (grandma) dies, she finds herself in the fantastical land of Uwi. Will Philly be able to end the reign of the Three Sisters, find her Lola, and bring her back home? Through the Bamboo is a Filipinx-Canadian tale suitable for the whole family 7+, told in the style of The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Alice in Wonderland while rooted in Philippine mythology.”

Post’s personnel and members of their family pose for a souvenir photo with Ms. Andrea Mapili, one of the writers/producers of the play “Through the Bamboo”.

Directed by Nina Lee Aquino (Artistic Director, Factory Theatre and 2019 recipient of the Margo Bindhart and Rita Davies Award), Through the Bamboo is co-written by wife and husband team Andrea Mapili (Cassettes 100) and Byron Abalos (Good Morning, Viet Mom).

As to why they wrote the play, Andrea Mapili and Byron Abalos said, “We wrote this play to fill a void. We wanted to write a Filipino play for young audiences; an epic tale featuring Philippine mythology that featured women, young and old, as the central characters. After experiencing death and loss in our own family, we were inspired to write a play about grieving from a child's perspective.” END.

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19 June 2019 Toronto, Ontario - The 158^th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Jose Rizal was commemorated by the Order of the Knights of Rizal (KOR) Canada Region at the Earl Bales Park, North York, on 19 June 2019. PCG Toronto’s Deputy Consul General (DCG) Bernadette Therese Fernandez, Consul Edna May Lazaro, Consul Edwin Gil Mendoza, KCR, Cultural Officer Cecil Santos and Communications Officer Errol Reyes attended the celebration.

 A highlight of the event was the wreath-laying ceremony at the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal at Earl Bales Park. KGOR Regional Commander Sir Jose Damasco, DCG Fernandez, Consul Mendoza, representatives of the Knights of Rizal Ladies, representatives of Rizal Youth Canada Council and other guests laid wreaths in front of Dr. Rizal’s bust.

DCG Fernandez and Consul Mendoza delivered their messages during the event. Also in attendance was Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for North York Sir Roman Baber, KCR. The great great grandniece of Dr. Jose Rizal, Bea Villaroman, also graced the occasion.

 The ceremony also witnessed the presentation of awards to officials and members of KOR for their contributions in the successful implementation of various activities of KOR in the past months. The event was sponsored by the Rizal Youth Canada Council.

Deputy Consul General Bernadette Fernandez delivers her message to the KOR Canada officials and members and guests during the celebration of the 158^th Anniversary of the birth of     Dr. Jose Rizal at Earl Bales Park, North York, Toronto, Ontario.

Deputy Consul General Bernadette Fernandez (6th from R) and Consul Mendoza (5^th from R), along with Sir Joe Damasco, KGOR (4^th from R), and Sir Mario Alpuerto (3^rd from R) prepare to lay their wreaths in front of Dr. Jose Rizal’s bust.

Consul Edwin Gil Mendoza delivers his inspirational message during the event.

PCG Toronto officials, Knights of Rizal officials and members, Ladies of the Knights of Rizal officials and mebers, Rizal Youth Canada Council officials and members, and guests pose at the Earl Bales Park Community Centre.