www.filipinosmakingwaves.com JUNE 2019 VOL. 8, NO. 06 TORONTO, CANADA Filipino-Canadians Celebrate Heritage, Independence and Raptor’s Historic Win This month of June is, indeed, day festivities are already cel- extra special. The overall feel- ebrated across Canada—flag- ing is that of winning. raising, festivals and fiestas. It is also on this month that Canada is celebrating the first- the birthday (June 19) of our ever Filipino Heritage Month national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is after motion 155, lobbied by given tribute to by the Filipino Scarborough Centre MP Salma community. Zahid, was passed unani- mously in the House of Com- Another special event this mons, This is a big win for month is the unveiling of life- Filipino-Canadians. The many size Rizal monument in Mark- contributions of Filipinos, ham. The sculptor of the who chose Canada to be their revered image of our national home-away-from-home, are hero is Mogi Mogado. (see full finally recognized and ap- article on this page). plauded. What a big bonus we got on There are reasons why June this historic month of June. MPs Salma Zahid (3rd from R), author of M-155, is joined on stage by fellow MPs and officers of Nation- was chosen to be the Filipino Filipino-Canadians, in union al Filipino Heritage Canada who organized the June 1 official kick-off event for Filipino Heritage Month. Heritage Month in Canada. It with the rest of Canada’s pop- (L-R) Tess de Jesus, Lino Eroma, MP Rob Oliphant Michael Levitt, MP Gary Anandasangaree, Rolly is on this month that we cele- ulation, are frenzied over the Mangante (NFHC Chairman), MP Marco Mendicino, Teresa Torralba (NFHC Exec. Director), MP Salma brate the independence our historic NBA finals champion- Zahid, MP Jean Yip and MP Ali Ehsassi. Filipino Heritage is celebrated across Canada, from coast to coast to coast. In Toronto alone, the calendar month is full of community events highlighted by the 121st forefathers fought for and ship win by very own, Toron- celebration of Philippine Independence and tributes to our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. won for us on June 12, 1898. to Raptors. (photos inside) ∎ Many annual independence BY FILIPINO ARTIST MOGI MOGADO News in Canada José Rizal Statue: An PM Trudeau celebrates Filipino Uplifting Symbol for Heritage Month Filipinos Page 3 By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ Philippine News Editor, The Filipino Web Channel Legendary Actor Eddie Garcia "The monument of a great man is not of granite or passes away at 90 marble or bronze. It consists of his goodness, his deeds, Page 4 his love and his compassion". - Alfred Armand Montapert TORONTO - Perhaps more than any community event Philippine News elated or not to the celebra- Filipino Brand keeps tion of June as Filipino Herit- age Month throughout Cana- title as da, the one that carries the Worlds’ #1 Rum most impact is the installa- Page 5 tion of the bigger-than-life monument of Philippine na- tional hero Jose Rizal. Sports Markham, Canada's 16th Toronto Raptors The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees largest city, and Greater To- and Citizenship, announced the two new pilot programs that will help 2019 caregivers and their immediate families obtain permanent residency ronto Area's fourth most NBA Champions faster and more efficiently. PHOTO FAYE ARELLANO FB populous after Toronto, Mis- sissauga and Brampton, and Page 16 its mayor, Frank Scarpitti, Canada Caring deserves the Philippines' and the Filipino communi- In Remembrance ty's commendation for such for Caregivers Our Beloved an honour, especially con- Consul General Two new caregiver pilot programs to offer perma- sidering that Filipinos there nent residency to those qualified. are a drop in an ocean of Rosalita Prospero multi-ethnicities - 2.7 per- Story on page 3 cent, or 8,905, of the total Page 15 (Continued on page4 ) Rizal monument in Markham Page 2 Filipinos Making WAV ES JUNE 2019 JUNE 2019 Filipinos Making WA V ES Page 3 CANADA ~ PHILIPPINE NEWS WAVES Prime Minister Trudeau’s way of celebrating Filipino Canada Caring Heritage Month for Caregivers Canada is caring for its working in Canada, care- · occupation-specific caregivers by launching 2 givers will be able to begin work permits, rather new pilots that will help gaining the required 2 than employer-specific, caregivers who come to years of Canadian work to allow for a fast change this country make it their of employers when nec- permanent home. essary; · open work permits “Canada is caring for The Home Child Care Pro- and/or study permits for our caregivers. We vider and Home Support the caregivers’ immedi- made a commitment Worker pilots will open for ate family, to help fami- applications on June 18, to improve the lives lies come to Canada to- 2019, replacing the expir- of caregivers and gether; and It’s Filipino Heritage month so our down-to-earth Prime ing Caring for Children and their families who · a clear transition from Minister surprised the owner and customers of FV Foods . Caring for People with High come from around temporary to permanent According to Scarborough Centre MP Salma Zahid, Justin Medical Needs pilots. the world to care for status, to ensure that wanted to try authentic Filipino food so she brought him our loved ones and once caregivers have met to FV Foods in Scarborough. Effective June 18, 2019, with these new pilots, the work experience re- applications for the Home we are doing exactly quirement, they will be There was no fanfare. Trudeau simply tried servings of that.” Filipino delicacies. But he did more than that. He mingled Child Care Provider and able to become perma- and had fun conversations with the customers. Home Support Worker pi- nent residents quickly. lots will be processed re- – The Honourable placing the Caring for Chil- Ahmed Hussen, These new pilots provide Minister of Immigration, dren and Caring for People Refugees and Citizenship caregivers from abroad and with High Medical Needs their families with a clear, programs. direct pathway to perma- nent residence. Caregivers will now only experience to apply for receive a work permit if permanent residence. Canada is committed to they have a job offer in improving life for immi- Canada and meet standard Through these new pilots, grants and supporting jobs criteria for economic immi- caregivers will also benefit for the middle class. gration programs. Once from: Highlights The prime minister was also in Toronto for the big Raptor celebration at Nathan Phillips Square held on June 17. • The expiring pilots will close to new applications on June 18, 2019. Caregivers Raptor fans cheered Justin Trudeau as he took the stage at who have applied before this date will continue to have their applications processed Nathan Philips Square during the championship parade through to a final decision. rally. The crowd that filled up the square and beyond was estimated at 2 million people. This is the first time the • Caregivers who have been working toward applying to the soon-to-be-expired pi- NBA championship trophy was won by a team outside of lots can now apply through either the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or the Home the United States. Support Worker Pilot. “What we saw here was the country coming together and • The Interim Pathway for Caregivers, the short-term pathway for caregivers who that’s what we celebrate,” he said. came to Canada as temporary foreign workers since 2014 but were unable to qualify for permanent residence through an existing program, will be extended. It will re-open The Raptors have been invited to visit Prime Minister Tru- on July 8, 2019 and accept applications for 3 months. deau in Ottawa. Coach Nick Nurse is working out a date for the visit. • The new pilots, Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker, will each have a maximum of 2,750 principal applicants, for a total of 5,500 principal applicants per year, plus their immediate family. • Initial applications to the new pilots will have a 12-month processing service stand- ard. A 6-month processing standard will apply for finalizing an application after the caregiver submits proof that they have met the work experience requirement. • With the move to occupation-specific work permits under the Home Child Care and Home Support Worker pilots, employers will no longer need a Labour Market Im- pact Assessment before hiring a caregiver from overseas. It is celebration after celebration in Toronto. Our Prime Minister showed up at Toronto’s 2019 Pride parade. Spot- Sign a petition to encourage Kawhi Leonard to stay with the Raptors ted walking with him is Mayor of Toronto John Tory along- side MPs Shaun Chen, Marco Mendicino, and Gary Anan- kawhiushouldstay.com dasangaree. PHOTO @Shaun Chen Page 4 Filipinos Making WAV ES JUNE 2019 CANADA ~ PHILIPPINE NEWS WAVES Legendary Actor Eddie Garcia passes away at 90 Eddie Garcia photo by Artu Nepomuceno Eduardo Verchez Garcí a, when do we start shoot- known professionally as ing?” Eddie Garcia or Manoy Ed- die, is a Filipino actor, tele- In 2005, he played the lead vision personality, film di- role (a senior citizen com- rector and producer. With ing to terms with his mor- over 600 film and televi- tality) in Rica Arevalo’s Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti with retired Councillor Alex Chiu, Deputy Consul General Bernadette sion roles and a career “ICU Bed #7”—an entry in Fernandes, Scarborough Centre MP Zalma Zahid and Rizal monument sculptor Mogi Mogado, leads spanning seven-decades, the first Cinemalaya Philip- the formal Ribbon Cutting ceremonies. PHOTO BY RENE SEVILLA Garcia is widely regarded pine Independent Film Fes- 6.6 feet granite pedestal.