www.filipinosmakingwaves.com FEBRUARY 2019 VOL. 8, NO. 02 TORONTO, CANADA DRINK A TOAST TO US ON JUNE 1st I'm Filipino-Canadian and Canada Is Celebrating My Filipino Heritage On Oct 30, 2018, the month of June was declared Filipino Heritage Month across Canada. Photo courtesy of Gary Anandasangaree By Riley Mendoza bringing is here in Canada. I I am a blend of East and thinking. That is not to say I because my forebears here am to this continent born West, and even as I look lost the values of my Filipi- and there communicated in This year, specifically the yet my whole being is teth- Filipino, my outlook is Ca- no culture, no, they're here languages as ancient as the month of June, is replete ered to a country separated nadian, meaning, shaped by deep in my heart. land we now call The Phil- with meaning, especially for by an ocean more than western attitudes and influ- ippines and Canada. I am a me in whose veins run Fili- 13,000 kilometers away. enced by contemporary My tongue sounds accented pino blood but whose up- (Continued on page3 ) A month after announcing a record-breaking 7.1 million int’l visitors in 2018 Grand Homecoming DOT Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat Reception for Miss unveils refresh DOT slogan Universe Catriona Gray Story on Page 4 Catriona Gray reacts during her interview with ABS-CBN on Wednes- day. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News The Philippine Department of Tourism unveiled the new logo of its tourism campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines MANILA-- The Philippines crowdsourced from social Boracay closure, it's al- is repurposing the word media users, both Filipinos ready redefined. When we "fun" in its old tourism slo- and foreigners, who shared think of fun, we can have gan, "It's More Fun in the their experiences and trav- fun but at the same we pro- Philippines", by involving els in different destinations tect the environment," she the travelers themselves in the country. told reporters. and incorporating sustaina- In every photo or video With more travelers con- bility in the refreshed cam- contributed, the DOT scious about their ecologi- paign. would be donating USD10 cal footprint, the culture At the unveiling ceremony to the World Wide Fund for and experience they are on Monday, Tourism chief Nature under the name of consuming, and simply Bernadette Romulo-Puyat the contributing tourist. wanting to give back, said the Department of Romulo-Puyat said "the "When we think of fun, ac- Tourism's (DOT) campaign Rolly Mangante (front row, 4th from L) was named Director-at-large tually it started with the (Continued on page3 ) for the Liberal Electoral District Association of Scarborough-Centre. would be 100 percent Also in the photo is Salma Zahid, the district’s Liberal MP. Page 2 Filipinos Making WAV ES FEBRUARY 2019 FEBRUARY 2019 Filipinos Making WA V ES Page 3 CANADA ~ PHILIPPINE NEWS WAVES An act of love By Mark Manalang “detached” from your social life, and your love life.” MANILA -- Valentine’s Day is a mo- mentous occasion for lovers, mar- “By now you’re probably seeing ried couples, families, and practi- cheesy military love stories on so- cally everyone who hopes to con- cial media: soldiers proposing to vey their feelings. It is a time of giv- their girlfriends, or some other sen- ing flowers, and chocolates, cards, timental cliche mumbo jumbo. and handcrafted gifts, all meant to Good for them, we’d say. But for the be romantic gestures expressing most of us, we’re spending hearts’ love. day in the field.” For members of the military, they February 14 started for Marcus and his men on a cold morning in their do not have the luxury of time or Members of the military do not have the luxury of time or resources for Valentine’s resources for Valentine’s Day, but patrol base in the Zamboanga Pen- Day, but their expression of love is more profound and encompassing. February 14 is their expression of love is more insula. Their duties for the day like any normal day for them: foot patrols in their area of responsibility, as they keep profound and encompassing. were as usual: foot patrols in their watch against terrorist activity in the hinterlands. PNA PHOTO area of responsibility, as they keep “You know there’s a running joke watch against terrorist activity in them we’d be happy to provide se- medicines and supplies came from among the troopers why they call the hinterlands. remote patrol bases ‘detachments’,” curity anytime,” Marcus continued. the municipal center, which were connected by rough roads. said Lieutenant Marcus, a soldier of Part of their area of responsibility Marcus’ group passed by another the 1st Infantry Division, PA of the had an LGU-initiated irrigation pro- village the edge of the municipality “The thought only highlights the Western Mindanao Command ject. “Making this happen means they are assigned to, where an im- importance of our mission to se- (Westmincom). “If you find yourself improving the livelihood of the munization program was ongoing. cure the critical government infra- stationed in one, you’ll be forcibly people around here. So we ex- The town chief had told them the (Continued on page6 ) changed pleasantries, and told I’m a Fil-Can and sands of others in Canada years. DOT Sec unveils Canada celebrates.. in what Parliament calls refreshed slogan ... Filipino Heritage Month. I June is also the birth month (Continued from page1 ) might as well call it, per- of foremost Philippine hero sonally, as my birth month Jose Rizal whose execution (Continued from page1 ) proud progeny of those cul- in the true north. by the Spaniards in Decem- tures. ber 1896 sparked the Phil- June is wrapped in symbol- ippine revolution. time is right for the repur- The colour of my skin is the isms. In the Philippines, it posing of the word fun." envy of those who bake in announces the rainy season As a Filipino-Canadian, I She said the refreshed cam- the sun for leisure. I may which, in many parts of the owe a debt of gratitude to paign serves as the coun- look different, and so are islands, means the planting MP Salma Zahid for her re- try's invitation for local Bernadette Romulo-Puyat the peoples indigenous to and growing period. The markable feat in making and foreigners alike to "be making the tourism indus- The Philippines and Canada month is a welcome respite Filipino Heritage Month a part of the fun." who lived and died, live from the hot and humid nationwide reality by try inclusive-- an example and die, in these parts. I am climate of the dry season. working on its passage in "In addition to your con- of which is the Boracay and happy with my noble past In Canada, June is very Parliament. Not to be for- tent, a contribution is made Manila Bay rehabilitation. in your name in the preser- and look forward to a no- much Spring, a rebirth gotten, of course, is Paulina He said these rehabilitation vation of our beaches, bler future. from the cold and gloom of Corpuz who had the initial efforts "are just the begin- mountains and wildlife-- winter. idea that former Toronto ning of something much we thank you and the envi- I imbibe the best of both Councillor Neethan Shan greater." East and West. I am a Filipi- But Filipino Heritage had given flesh in the city ronment thanks you," she no. I am also a Canadian. I Month in Canada will be council and led to the dec- added. Making this paradigm shift "more fun," Uyking said the am a child of two heritage. marked fittingly in June as laration of a city-wide Fili- To inspire the spirit of par- DOT decided to retain the it was on the 12th day of pino Heritage Month. ticipation, the DOT is set to old slogan. My modern-day ancestors that month in 1898 when release a custom-made font have set aside the entire Filipinos proclaimed their Thank you Canada for cele- that could be used by any- To date, the DOT has yet to sixth month of the year independence from Spain brating us. Thank you for one sharing their photos, determine the number of starting June 1st to com- which had colonized the enshrining us in the bosom videos, and reasons why materials they will use for memorate me and thou- country for almost 400 of your affection. ∎ they like the country-- free the campaign but DOT Un- of charge. dersecretary Benito Beng- zo Jr. is optimistic the re- The free font called freshed slogan would make “barabara” draws on the the Philippines more com- Filipino style of hand- petitive compared to other painted lettering. It is also popular destinations in the supported by the new tour- region. ism logo, inspired by local woven textiles - which of- "We haven't figured out the fer a fresh graphic identity number of materials yet system that symbolizes not because right now, we're only fun but also contem- just basing it on what we porary and more sustaina- will generate from ble tourism offering. crowdsourcing," he said. Meanwhile, Howie Uyking, "But I think the most signif- DOT Assistant Secretary icant thing that has for Branding and Market- emerged out of the re- ing Communications, said freshed campaign is that it the Philippines is now rid- provides platform among L-R: The Hon. Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Orgranized Crime Reduction was the special ing the sustainability wave all of us to be involved in a guest in the town hall meeting held at the Spring Garden church in North York.