WINNIPEG – As the Filipino community in Manitoba and the rest of Canada marks its fifth year of celebrating Filipino heritage and culture throughout the month of June, a special program was held today at the provincial legislature to officially open the festivities.
The activities began with the unfurling of the ‘super-flag,’ an oversized Philippine flag provided by the Manitoba Filipino Journal, that virtually covered the front steps of the legislative building while its edges were held by guests from the Filipino community clad in their distinctive Filipiniana attire.
Joining the flag unfurling were Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Obby Khan, Labor and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes and Philippine Honorary Consul in Winnipeg Ronald Opina. The officials mingled with the guests and took photos with them as they all made their way back into the building.
The program continued at the Rotunda with the Filipino Journal’s Ron Cantiveros and Randy Viray, a prominent Filipino business owner and financial adviser, teaming up as emcees. Ministers Khan and Reyes went up to the podium to bring greetings from the provincial government. They were followed by Hon. Consul Opina, then Perla Javate, President of the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba. In between speeches were performances of traditional Filipino songs by Krissy Torres and Jett Russell Panganiban, members of the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba’s Musica Singers led by Dante Aviso.
After the program, a light lunch of pancit and lumpia (Filipino spring rolls) was served, along with bottled water and canned pop as beverages. As the last day of the spring sittings began, legislative staff ushered the remaining guests into the gallery to witness the member’s statement of Minister Reyes acknowledging the occasion and the Filipino delegation present in the gallery.
Later in the evening, MP Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) and the Official Opposition flew in from Ottawa and held a meet and greet at the Victoria Inn Hotel with select members of the Filipino community to wish them a Happy Filipino Heritage Month. He also spoke about the CPC’s plans and policies should they win the next federal elections and form government. Also in attendance were Manitoba Tory MPs James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman), Marty Morantz (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley) and Larry Maguire (Brandon-Souris).
More details of these events will be shown in next week’s episode of Barangay Canada on YouTube and on the Shaw Spotlight Community TV Channel. Please check the local schedule at https://www.shawspotlight.ca/on-now.html for air times.
Additional photo credits: Maggie Chan Urbano, Dante Aviso, Aida Champagne
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