The Edmonton Philippine International Centre (EPIC) Defined

In a multicultural society, it is inevitable to encounter a number of cultural community centres around the city. Top of mind would be: the Polish Canadian Cultural Centre; Sejong Multicultural Centre; Edmonton Korean Community Centre; Ukrainian Cultural Centre; La Cite Francophone; Edmonton Chinatown MultiCultural Centre; Portuguese Cultural Centre; Italian Cultural Centre; Slovenian Canadian Cultural Centre; Hellenic-Canadian Community of Edmonton & Region; German-Canadian Cultural Centre; Dutch Canadian Centre; and Edmonton Japanese Community Association, to name a few. The irony of this is that on some occasions, the reason for my being in these venues, were due to a Filipino community event.

Cultural infrastructures are an integral component of Canadian communities. These centres promote cultural values among the members of its community. They are a reflection of an established community where cultural services are increasingly part of municipal services. Arts and culture is one of the attributes that contribute to the highest quality of life of a community.

With the influx of Filipinos in Alberta, which has the second largest Filipino population in Canada at approximately 175,000, and with a migration history to Canada beginning in the 1930s, it is ideal, and rather imperative, that we Filipinos have a sustained venue, that will serve as a gathering place - a recreational, educational and cultural facility. There is nothing wrong in using another culture’s space, but it’s much more gratifying to have one that reflects your values, and way of life.

Some people may think: What does it mean for me?... I have no personal need for this… or this is only relevant to those who are involved in arts and culture work. Research on the impact of cultural community spaces has shown: that 95% of respondents learned something new, and 88% increased their confidence and pride in culture and traditions by participating in programs; for 85% participation increased their desire to learn, while 83% explored ideas, values and dreams, and 79% made friends; 77% reported a positive impact on their creativity; 65% developed skills; and 64% reported a positive impact on their health and well-being. There is substantial and diverse body of evidence that a wide range of cultural activities positively add value to regeneration initiatives - economic, social and environmental.

The Philippine centre is envisioned to be the architectural definition of our community identity. Yet, it is not just about infrastructure but is about the people, our culture, creative engagement, and social interaction. The planning will include multiple perspectives: disciplines of expression – e.g., visual, performing, literary, media arts, heritage, etc.; functions – e.g., recreation, instruction, training, production, exhibition, preservation;  levels of artistic activity – e.g., recreational arts, amateur arts, emerging and professional/not-for-profit arts, for-profit creative industries, etc.; and community goals. For a community whose people are geographically separated with the 7,100 islands, should we not bond ourselves in our communal experiences of migration, values, and way of life in our adopted country?

In my article on March 2019 on “The Quest for a Philippine Centre in Edmonton”, I posed the challenge on what would it take for us to work together towards this goal. And now, I am elated to report that Filipino community organizations and volunteers are working together towards the establishment of the Edmonton Philippine International Centre (EPIC), which will have its launch and fundraiser on February 1, 2020, Saturday, 1:30-4:30 pm at the Corpus Christi Church Hall at 2707 34 Street, Edmonton. The event aims to disseminate information on the initiative, and show what Filipinos have been doing in, and contributing to, the city of Edmonton. There will be performances, tables featuring businesses and services, door prizes, silent auction and food. It is an opportunity to once again convene, be proud of our personal history, share our culture and participate in this legacy project.

Work towards establishing a centre is long term work requiring dedication, focus, determination and commitment with time, energy and resources. The current group of organizers and volunteers recognize the importance of accountability, trust and transparency and are exerting efforts to uphold these. However, an endeavour of this magnitude will only be made possible by sustained commitment, time, input and vision of MANY supporters - advocates, artists, business leaders, volunteers and community members. I appeal to everyone to lend their support, in whatever capacity, to the various upcoming projects supporting the Edmonton Philippine International Centre initiative. And let us uphold our tagline, The Filipino Spirit Shines Through! 

* This article was published in the January 2020 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

The Quest for a Philippine Centre in Edmonton

 Ever since my family arrived in Edmonton from Manila, I have consistently heard random comments and yearning for a Philippine Centre in Edmonton. It is not difficult to imagine the benefits of having a venue uniquely catering to, and reflective of, the Filipino community - having a “home base” to interact and socialize with fellow kababayans; a resource and programs centre for Philippine art and culture; and an infrastructure legacy and monument of, for, and by, the Filipino.

Edmonton did have a Filipino centre before. In 1984, the Philippine Bayanihan Association in Alberta purchased a building on a ¾ acres of prime land by 12520 135 Avenue for the Filipino Canadian Community Centre. However, it was sold in 1995 due to the cost of maintaining the building. To date, the other Filipino centres in Canada that I know of are: the Filipino Centre in Toronto; the Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture in Toronto; the Filipino Community Centre in Windsor, Ontario; the Philippine Bayanihan Community Centre in Victoria, BC; the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba in Winnipeg; and the Philippine Cultural Center Foundation in Calgary.

With the declaration of Philippine Heritage Month both provincially and federally, it is an importune time to revisit the goal of a Philippine Centre in Edmonton. After a consultation with Minister Amarjeet Sohi where the Minister committed to assist in the establishment of the centre, community leaders met to brainstorm on the vision, governance model, and feasibility of an Edmonton Philippine centre. There was commonality in the thought that this can only be realized with the community working together rather than in silos. An offshoot of that meeting was a survey that was released to gauge the Filipino community’s interest, current utilization of rented facilities, wish list, and thoughts for making the establishment of a Philippine centre a reality. Is it really possible? The sentiment in that meeting was of optimism and enthusiasm. But there are also naysayers who declare that this has been tried several times in the past and therefore, this current initiative is doomed for the same failure. But do we remain shackled in the past and keep this as a pipe dream, or do we learn from these experiences and dream big?

Let’s do the math. Edmonton alone, I believe has 30+ Filipino organizations. If we sum up the amount each organization, and in some cases individuals, spend on venue rentals for various activities, and allocate these to one centre, there is a strong possibility that this can cover at the minimum, monthly rent or mortgage for a dedicated facility. The most recent census revealed that there are 60,000+ Filipinos in Edmonton. Let’s look at a scenario where, even if just 20% of the 60,000 Filipinos donate just $1 a month to a building fund, that would already yield $12,000/month already. These are some schemes that can be worked within the community, in addition to the efforts to advocate and apply for funding from different levels of government. Money, as it turns out, may not be the biggest obstacle after all.

And here lies the challenge. For in order to build and to sustain a Philippine centre, we all, collectively, need a paradigm shift. I believe that we all know what it would take to make this a reality (i.e. accountability, transparency, credibility), but the bigger challenge is, will we do what needs to be done? And so I will pose the questions with the hope that this will galvanize us to be united in our goal. What would it take for us to work collaboratively in the spirit of servant leadership and trust? Do we have what it takes to focus on long term goals and veer away from trivialities? There is undoubtedly no individual financial gain, personal aggrandizement, and special entitlements in this initiative but the community legacy is immense. It is an initiative of selflessness, volunteerism, dedication and perseverance. 

In Toronto, there were several attempts since the 1970s, by the Filipino community to build a centre. They were able to purchase a property in 2002 for The Filipino Centre, 18 months after the group’s launch. Community leaders in Windsor convened in 1992, opened a centre in 1993, and in 2014, opened an expanded and improved Filipino Community Centre. The Bayanihan Centre in Victoria, supported by several Filipino organizations, raised funds since 1990, and was finally established in 2001 after acquiring a provincial grant and a credit-union mortgage. The Philippine Cultural Center Foundation in Calgary, sitting in a 2,750 square feet condominium property, took five years of hard work to fulfill their dream in 2001. The Filipino community in Winnipeg had the foresight to establish their Philippine centre way back in 1984 and have since then moved to a bigger location, sustained by continuous fundraising and volunteering.

It’s high time for an Edmonton Philippine centre. Each one of us has the capacity to contribute for this cultural monument and legacy project. As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.” So to all Filipinos and those of Filipino descent in Edmonton, shall we?


* This article was published in the March 2019 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Baisas Brothers: A Story of Fire and Ice

There is a team of Filipinos firing up the international ice carving circuit. These are the Baisas Brothers, specifically Ross and Antonio Baisas, representing both the Philippines and Canada. They are international ice carving champions, having won more than two dozen awards, most recent of which were the 1st place for both Ice on Whyte in Edmonton and at the Winterlude in Ottawa. 

Currently based in Montreal (Ross) and Ottawa (Antonio), the Baisas Brothers hail from the Philippines’ wood carving capital, Paete, Laguna. In this town, carving is something passed on from one generation to the next, a milestone of a childhood, and possibly a rite of passage, and where everyone whiles away the time whittling wood. The name Paete has as its root word “paet”, which means chisel. Surrounded with this way of life and the fact that carving is the town’s main source of income, it is not uncommon for people of Paete to find their way working in hotels and cruise ships as carvers with ice, fruit, vegetables and pastries. This was the ticket that lead Ross and Antonio to Quebec and work for casinos under Loto-Quebec.

Competing as ice sculptors is no walk in the park. First of all, the main ice carving competitions are prestigious, and competitors are screened and selected. The rules of a competition are stringent. There are thematic and technical conditions to follow. Designs are submitted way in advance. So to be in the roster of competitors is already a feat by itself, and winning takes it to a level of incredible recognition and accolade. An ice sculptor has to have the artistic eye, the skills, the technical know-how, the instinct to adjust to the dictates of uncontrollable variables like weather, temperature, sunlight, and imposed time constraints. As if these are not intimidating enough, one has to be physically fit and with endurance. One is expected to haul on average 10-15 blocks of ice, hauling and stacking about 135 kg, working in frigid temperature for 34 hours, and working with power tools, i.e. chainsaw, grinder, gas cylinder, chisels, among others. On top of these, there are competition requirements on safety and environment care that need to be met while working.

The Baisas Brothers have been doing the route of competitions for 15 years now, travelling around the world and garnering recognition in Canada, the United States, and Europe. They compete in 3-4 international competitions a year, on average. They are not only judges’ choices but are more often than not, media and public favorites. Ice is their favorite medium because of its translucency and crystalline quality, and the challenges it presents with its solidness and unpredictability.  Yet they have created stunning works with pasta, chocolate, sugar, grease, fruit and vegetables, snow and sand. No medium is spared, and they seem to get fired up with the challenges of working with each medium, in unraveling the secrets, and gaining mastery in its manipulation, and eventually, stretching the boundaries.

Artists find their way to ice sculpting through different ways. Some are formally schooled or mentored. The Baisas Brothers are self taught. But their training and learning is endless. Despite all their accolades, up close the brothers are unassuming, friendly and with a wicked sense of humour. In outlook, they are positive and adaptable. At work, they are exacting, perhaps their own worst critic, analyzing their own flaws but taking it as a lesson to further their art. As partners, one complements and supports the other. Ross is adept at shaping and Antonio’s forte is the finishing and detailing. They are able to sense each other’s moods, and anticipate needs without verbal communication. They claim that they will keep on going as long as there is something they can conjure which they have not tackled yet. The possibilities are endless, limited only by the imagination. 

Ice carving is art and engineering, also skills and heart. The Baisas Brothers execute this through their burning passion, combined with cold grit. Amidst the cold environment they’ve chosen as their arena, is the fire to achieve greater heights, stoke their passion and enjoy the ride. My impression is that ice sculpting competitions allow a sense of superhumanness, an adrenaline rush - brought about by using power tools in unbearable conditions. Ice sculptors, having challenged themselves with their designs, work with full concentration, grit and determination, with all senses heightened since a small error, or mindless slip, could be fatal. They are a rare breed and it is stirring that blazing through this international circuit is a team of Filipino artists. Amidst the snow and ice, the Baisas Brothers, Ross and Antonio, are on fire!

This article was published in the February 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

All photos c/o Ross Baisas.

Proud Luisa: Love’s Got Everything to Do With It

A read-through of Luisa Marshall’s write-up will leave anyone awestruck with her stunning success. What is more impressive, however, is the underneath driving factors of love, humility, strive for excellence that propels her to expand her boundaries.

Luisa’s story starts with a childhood dream of being an actress, performing in various musical productions. Her singing has allowed her to travel to different countries and the decision to be a permanent resident in Canada in the early 1990s. She carries the immigrant story of sacrificing for the family, of homesickness and of the resolve to acquire and lead a better life. In all her trials and eventual successes, her philosophy is “to live life, love life to the fullest. To be compassionate and have moral responsibility to help others. To give back to Canada and to empower immigrants to be productive, to work hard and to follow their dream”.

Luisa Marshall is a Renaissance woman - singer, TV host, producer, publisher, advocate, wife, mother (not in any order of importance). As a singer, Luisa performed with the popular Manila band Ambivalent Crowd. She then went on tour as lead vocalist for Hall of Fame throughout Asia, the Middle East and North America. It was in one of this tours that a random act of donning a Tina Turner wig while doing a cover of Proud Mary, that her entertaining circuit turned a cornerstone. With her strong vocals and a resemblance to Tina Turner, the tribute artist act became another vehicle for her talent. This was capped by garnering the Grand Prize at the World Rock n Roll Tribute Artist Championship in 2003. Highlights of her tribute artist stint are guestings at the Ellen Degeneres show and Oprah Winfrey Show - performing in front of Cher and Tina Turner herself (!), and portraying the role of Tina Turner in the stage musical “TINA, A Rock n Roll Journey” in 2006.

Based in Vancouver, Luisa hosts her own tv talk show Simply the Best, which is now on its 8th year, in the Shaw Multicultural Channel. Together with husband Steve Marshall, they publish the MetroVan Independent News. The tv show, the Tina Turner tribute shows and their newspaper are the platforms for her advocacies. The tv magazine format allows her to inspire people through lifestyle, health, and self-empowerment features. The newspaper is a voice for accountability, societal equity and information. And the Tina Turner tribute shows serve as a medium to bring joy, to raise funds, and to increase awareness for different causes. Her tribute shows has seen her in tours for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force which included war-torn Bosnia and Sarajevo, and for the Multinational Force and Observers in Israel and Egypt; fundraisers for calamities in the Philippines, Haiti, United Way, Red Cross, Cancer Societies, among others.

Unsurprisingly, she has received accolades, recognition and rave reviews from both ends of the world: voted as one of RBC’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrants alongside two time NBA MVP Steve Nash (2013), which she considers as one of the most defining moments in her life; a feature in “My Filipino Connection, The Philippines in Hollywood”, authored by Ruben V. Nepales, Chairman of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (2012); the MIDES Award 2011 (Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo) given by the Gracean Worldwide Inc. in Las Vegas; the Gantimpala Award by the University of Santo Tomas (2010), among others.

With her various undertakings, family supersedes everything else. Luisa considers herself first and foremost a mother to their two daughters, Kimi (a musician, songwriter, and arts director) and Zenia (actor, singer, songwriter). It is a mutual admiration club - she gets her inspiration from their love and they think the world of her. She is their superhero, the inspiration and exemplar, and the best cook. Her husband Steve, whom she teasingly refers to as “the biggest slave of all”, is her anchor, allowing her the space and time to spread her wings, at the same time grounding her amidst all the whirlwind of activities and stress. They are a family truly involved in each other’s lives. Last year, the family went on a performance road tour across Canada to raise funds and awareness for Canadian military Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Encountering the beauty of Canada while simultaneously raising about $30,000 was a truly bonding experience for them.

Amidst these heady achievements and worldly accolades, Luisa retains a philosophical and humble disposition. In the bustle of all her activities, she strives to live in the moment, stay positive, and be grateful. To quote her, “Once you have a grateful heart, you have a happy heart! With a happy heart you can do wonders and it’s sometimes surprisingly magical how you can make a difference to others. We can all do this by dedicating our life to a cause, a goal, a dream.”

Luisa will be performing her Tina Turner Tribute show in Edmonton on April 29, Saturday, 7:00 pm at the Howard Johnson Hotel. Tickets are available through Brenda Kaminsky Entertainment Productions at 780-964-2513. When you watch her show, you don’t just experience a full evening of delight and talent, but also celebrate everything she stands for - a Filipino, a renowned artist, an exemplar, a crusader, and an enthusiast of life.

Asked on what is the utmost lesson that she wants to impart, she replies: “Never be afraid to dream and to live the dream. Be wacky, be impossible, be different, be cool, be weird, be who you are! But make sure you are realistic and level-headed going for your dream. Always make careful plans and reasonable steps to get there without causing misery to others... That love is greater than money. That love for one’s self motivates more productivity that ignites the spirit within. That nobody’s perfect but you can work hard to be the best you can. That respect, gratefulness and compassion are important. But, most of all, be humble!”

Luisa’s turning points in life have been propelled by love - love for her singing, her family, and for service. And as the saying goes, love indeed makes the world go round. Such is the case with Luisa, and she has done it with grace and magnanimity. Be proud of yourself, Luisa, as anyone who knows you and meets you is, or will be, proud of you.

This article was published in the March 2017 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Justice4Vicky

A benefit concert was held for Maria Victoria (Vicky) Venancio last June 27, 2015 at the St. Theresa’s Parish in Edmonton organized by Migrante Alberta, Kabisig Society of Fort Saskatchewan, and Memoria Vita Society of Edmonton.

Vicky’s story has been reported in both news and social media. She arrived in Canada as a temporary foreign worker. She was struck by a car while on her way to work, and suffered a severe spinal cord injury and was told that she will no longer be able to walk. Unable to work, her work visa expired and a decision for her deportation was made in a public hearing last February 16, 2015. There is currently an appeal for her to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Vicky with MLA Rod Loyola

With no health care coverage and no disability insurance from her employer, Vicky volunteered in a pilot study at the University of Alberta using the ReWalk Robotics exoskeleton, and is now able to stand and walk a short distance with a walker. Her appeal to the Canadian government is for her to be able to stay in Canada to recover, be able to contribute economically and not be a burden to the Canadian social care system. Like most Filipino migrant workers, she is the breadwinner for her family and elderly parents living in the rural Philippines.

The fundraiser gathered supporters for Vicky in the different circles of Edmonton society politicians,

advocates, Filipino community and migrant workers group. Artists lent their talents to the cause, performing probono: Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn; Chilean guitarist Marco Claveria; the Narra band; and a rendering of the Kalinga Unity Dance, with audience participation.

Councillor Amarjeet Sohi

There were greetings and messages from representatives from the government:

● MLA Rodrigo Loyola, who was instrumental in presenting Vicky at the Legislature and who spoke that night of the importance of solidarity in the community for equal rights and welfare.

● Councillor Amarjeet Sohi: “A society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members.”

MLA Christina Gray

● Former MP David Kilgour, an advocate for an exception for Vicky for provincial health care coverage and federal appeal on residency on compassion and humanitarian grounds. In his message, he likened Vicky’s situation to the flight of the Canadian geese when one is weak, some geese will fall out of formation to support the weak one until it’s strong again.

● Health Minister Sarah Hoffman: “Ms. Venancio is an amazingly strong individual, who has overcome a very tragic situation and is making the best of it… She has fallen through the cracks provincially, federally with the temporary foreign worker program and now with applying for permanent status.”

Also present were: MLA Christina Gray, MLA Jessica Littlewood, and MP Tim Uppal.

Maria Dunn

But the most heartfelt moment in the evening was the message from Vicky herself who demonstrated the traits that others have extolled on her: her tenacity, positive outlook, gratitude, and resiliency. And through her tragic circumstances, she has chosen to focus on the angels, known and unknown, who have supported her from the medical practitioners who have provided free medical services and medicine, the numerous people who have provided financial aid for her daily cost of living, to the volunteers and donors for the fundraiser.

It was indeed a night of solidarity, of awareness and advocacy. The benefit concert, together with the silent auction, raised close to $15,000. The funds raised are earmarked for her medical and legal expenses. According to Marco Luciano, Director of Migrante Alberta, it is important to hear and retell the stories of migrant workers. And the awareness and campaign around Vicky Venancio’s plight shows that miracles can happen when people band together.

To know more and to support the campaign, go to justice4vicky.org.

Narra

Filipino-Canadian Gala 2012

Ida & Jojo Lucila

The 2nd Filipino-Canadian Gala was held last September 15, 2012 at the Northlands Expo Centre. Organized by Gala and Event Management lead by Lixmila Serrano and Ramon Cifra, the Gala is an annual event aimed at bringing together Filipinos and friends for a night of cultural feast and dancing, to celebrate the achievements of the Filipino community and at the same time, to support local charitable institutions. It had, as its beneficiary, iHuman, an organization that supports at-risk youth in Edmonton to rebuild their lives through the arts.  Last yearʼs beneficiary was the Edmonton Food Bank.

Philippine Choral

The Gala was held in a sumptuous hall that seats 800, in tables decked in red, white and blue, with the Philippine flag as the pattern for its layout. A tropical hut served as the dance floorʼs center piece, perfect for photo opportunities. Around the hall were booths of Filipino businesses and Gala sponsors, and display items for the silent auction. An added bonus for the night was the grand raffle prize of a free trip to the Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador Gatan

MP Rona Ambrose

MLA Thomas Lukaszuk

Guests were treated to song and dance performances prior to the official opening of the Gala, which was marked with messages from the three levels of government of Canada and the presence of the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, Leslie Gatan. Guests of honor were: Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works & Government Services, and Minister for Status of Women - Canada; Thomas Lukaszuk, Deputy Premier of Alberta; Stephen Mandel, Mayor of Edmonton; Naresh Bhardwaj, MLA; Richard Andersen, Northlands President; among others. In their speeches, they extolled on how the success of Filipinos all over the world serves as an inspiration and a reminder that much can be achieved through vision and guidance, and the Filipinosʼ reputation to be hardworking, generous and wonderful contributions to society, making Mayor Mandel exclaim

Mayor Stephen Mandel

We need more Filipinos to come to Edmonton! There are currently 330,000 Filipinos in Canada, 70% of which are Philippine-born. And to these people and their Canadian friends, Ambassador Gatan appealed for more Canadian investments in the Philippines, to keep both the cultural and economic ties, and declared that the Philippines is not the sick man of Asia anymore.

After a buffet of Philippine-inspired cuisine, guests were treated with performances by the Philippine Choral and HOJA. This performance of the Philippine Choral marked its transformation from a church choir to a show choir, with a full repertoire suite and choreography. HOJA, on the other hand, is an acapella trio who has performed all over Canada and recorded five cd albums. This followed with everyone dancing the night away, more photo opportunities and revelry. It was good to see the people of Edmonton come together in their evening finery to celebrate Filipino culture and achievements, and support a very deserving local charity. We look forward to the 3rd Filipino-Canadian Gala!

Philippine Choral

HOJA

Post Dinner Dance

Photos courtesy of Kitakits Studio Inc. To view more photos of the event, go to http://

kitakits.smugmug.com.

* This was written and published for the Pinoy Times, October 2012 issue.

First Filipino-Canadian Gala

The First Filipino-Canadian Gala was held last September 17 at the Northlands Edmonton Expo Centre.  A night of dinner, entertainment and dancing, it was a celebration of Filipino-Canadian achievements and a way of giving back to the community.  The net proceeds from ticket sales and auctions were earmarked to the Edmonton’s Food Bank.

On hand to deliver special greetings for the event were: Minister of Public Works and Government and Minister for Status of Women Rona Ambrose; Executive Director of Edmonton’s Food Bank Marjorie Bencz; Chair of Edmonton’s Food Bank Board Anne Smith; Ward 12 Councillor Amarjeet Sohi; and President and CEO of Northlands Richard Anderson.

Along with the Philippine cuisine-inspired dinner, guests were treated to a night of Filipino talent: Philippine Choral Group, who sang the Philippine & Canadian national anthems; The Lucila Project, a neo-ethnic dance company; singers Wency Calderon, Jo-Ann Aguilar and Shwag choral group ; Alyssa & Monica Tungul, pianist & violinist, respectively; hiphop groups ILLustration and Hot Sauce; Saranay Kwerdas, an ensemble using traditional Filipino instruments; and bands The Sour Patch Kids and GERIS Project.  The Philippine Outreach Program was also honored and Filipino Canadians who passed away recently were remembered.

Guests may have come to enjoy themselves for the evening but generously participated in the “giving back” portion of the night through the silent auction items and live auction of a Lexus CT200 Hybrid car and some dinner and hotel packages, conducted by Kastner Auctions.

It was a highly successful event with about 800 people in attendance, a third of which were non-Filipinos who came out to support this Filipino fundraiser.  And with this success came pledges of support and participation for next year’s Filipino-Canadian Gala, which is slated for September 2012.  Credit goes to organizer Lixmila Serrano and partner producer Ramon Cifra for their boldness in conceptualizing and hurdling the various obstacles that come in organizing such a massive but elegant event, and for securing major sponsorships from Lexus of Edmonton, Dolce Vita Homes, Wild West Shooting Range and Sun Life Financial.    

The Filipinos are the fourth largest group of immigrants to Canada and many have established their niches in their adopted country.  They are great contributors to not only the Canadian economy but the Philippines as well, supporting family back home and actively participating in various fundraisers and causes in the Philippines.  This event was another manifestation of the Filipinos’ “balikbayan” spirit - that spirit of community and giving.  

* This article was written for and published in the Pinoy Times, October 2011 issue.