VIRTUAL BRIEFING ON THE 2025 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL OVERSEAS INTERNET VOTING

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JOB VACANCY

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ADVISORY

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Please standby for the OFFICIAL LINK for the PRE-VOTING ENROLMENT.

2025 NATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH

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To celebrate Philippine National Women’s Month this March 2025, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto invites our kababayan to an afternoon of food and fashion with inspiring Filipino-Canadians who are helping make our communities here and in the Philippines better and brighter.

Register now!

#2025NationalWomensMonth
#WEcanbeEquALL
#PHinToronto

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY PAVES THE WAY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE LONG-AWAITED RIZAL MONUMENT IN NIAGARA FALLS

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The Filipino community and officials of the local government and Philippine Consulate during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rizal Monument in Niagara Falls (photo courtesy of Mr. Dennis C. Bustos)

09 March 2025 – Consul General Angelica C. Escalona joined Mayor Jim Diodati of the City of Niagara Falls, members of the City Council, Member of Parliament Tony Baldinelli, Member of Provincial Parliament Wayne Gates and officials of the Niagara Parks Commission led by Commissioner Bob Gale at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument overlooking Niagara Falls, one of the most popular tourist spots in the world.

The groundbreaking ceremony was organized by the Filipino community in the Niagara Region spearheaded by the Filipino-Canadian Association of Niagara and the Jose Rizal Memorial Committee. Various Filipino community organizations, including the Knights of Rizal, lobbied for the construction of the monument for many years.

The monument will be the seventh Rizal monument in Canada. The other monuments are located in the cities of Toronto, Markham and Brampton in Ontario; Winnipeg in Manitoba; Airdrie in Alberta; and Montreal in Quebec.

The installation of a Rizal monument in Niagara Falls holds a special meaning as it is the only place in Canada which was verified to have been visited by Dr. Rizal. In 1998, the National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission of the Philippines) donated a historical marker to the Filipino community citing the visit of Dr. Rizal to the falls on 12 May 1888. In 2023, the City of Niagara Falls, through the Niagara Parks Commission, approved the installation of a monument of Dr. Rizal with the marker.

“It was here at this very spot that Dr. Jose Rizal paused to admire the beauty and grandeur of Niagara Falls. This monument will stand as a lasting symbol of friendship between Canada and the Philippines and a tribute the many contributions of Filipinos to Canada”, Commissioner Gale said during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Noting the fact there will soon be seven Rizal monuments across Canada, Consul General Escalona said “this reflects not only the growing number of Filipino migrants in this country, but also the growing recognition of their value to Canadian society.”

Mr. Rodrigo Cuizon, Chair of the Jose Rizal Memorial Committee, emphasized that the event is a milestone not just for the Filipino community in Niagara but for Filipinos all over world.

The unveiling of the monument is scheduled in June 2025.

Consul General Angelica C. Escalona (6th from right) and Mayor Jim Diodati of Niagara Falls (7th from right) lead the groundbreaking ceremony (photo courtesy of Mr. Dennis C. Bustos)

Consul General Escalona with members of the Filipino community in Niagara (photo courtesy of Mr. Dennis C. Bustos)

Consul General Escalona with Mr. Rodrigo Cuizon (rightmost), Chair of the Jose Rizal Memorial Committee in Niagara (photo courtesy of Mr. Dennis C. Bustos)

The historical marker donated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines reads “Dr. Jose Rizal (1861-1896). The National Hero of the Philippines visited this magnificent falls and paused between the two rocks on May 12, 1888.”

Consul General Escalona, Member of Parliament Tony Baldinelli (7th from right, back), Member of Provincial Parliament Wayne Gates (10th from left) and members of the Filipino community in front of the Niagara Falls (photo courtesy of Mr. Dennis C. Bustos)”

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ADVISORY

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PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN TORONTO OPENS FOR CONSULAR SERVICES ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

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Clients of the Philippine Consulate in Toronto on International Women’s Day celebration

08 March 2025 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto was open for consular services today in celebration of International Women’s Day and National Women’s Month.

The Consulate held a simple ceremony with its clients to mark the occasion. With purple globally recognized as the color of women, symbolizing justice and dignity, Consulate personnel wore purple-colored clothes and served ube (purple yam) flavored Filipino snacks such as hopia, pandesal and ube bars to clients.

Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate delivered brief remarks emphasizing the importance of the role of women in society, quoting the famous aphorism “women hold up half of the sky.”

Filipino Canadian singer Maria Salac serenaded the clients with a song number.

Clients, both women and men, expressed appreciation for the celebration prepared by the Consulate. “We were not aware of the celebration. We are happy to be reminded of the importance of commemorating the sacrifices and achievements of women,” said one of the clients.

Ube bars, hopia and pandesal were served to clients

Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General led by Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate (7th from left) with clients

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The Pre-Voting Enrolment Period for Internet Voting of Overseas Voters for the May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections is updated to March 20, 2025 until May 07, 2025.

#COMELEC
#2025NLE

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE CLIENTS AND VISITORS ENJOY PLAYING “SUNGKA” TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL ARTS MONTH

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Consular clients playing the Philippine traditional game “Sungka”

28 February 2025 – In celebration of the 2025 National Arts Month, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto put up a “Sungka” Corner at the Consulate for clients and visitors to try their hand at this traditional game.

“Sungka” is a game of strategy and skills using shells and a boat-shaped board with two rows of seven small holes and two larger holes referred to as “house” at both ends of the board, one for each player. The two players take turns distributing shells into the 14 small holes and their own house. The objective of the game is to gather the most number of shells, and clean out your opponent.

Consular clients who are familiar with “sungka” demonstrated their skills while the younger clients enthusiastically observed and learned the mechanics of the game.

“Magaling ako maglaro ng sungka noong kabataan ko. Halika turuan kita,” said one client as she invited her friend to try the game.
.
#PHinToronto
#Nationalartsmonth

HAPPENING SOON!

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#filipinorestaurantmonthca
#phintoronto

2025 NATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH

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The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto joins the Filipino nation in the celebration of the 2025 National Women’s Month.

The sub-theme for this year’s celebration is “Babae Sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas” with the goal of fostering a society where all women have equal rights, power and opportunities. For more details on the National Women’s Month,
please click the link of the PCW https://pcw.gov.ph/2025-national-womens-month-celebration/

Upcoming Women’s Month activities organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto will be announced shortly.

#PHinToronto
#PCW
#NationalWomensMonth

CONSUL GENERAL ESCALONA, CANADIAN RED CROSS DISCUSS PLANS FOR COLLABORATION ON RISK READINESS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR FILIPINOS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN CANADA

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Clockwise from front L: Consul General Angelica Escalona, Consul Katrina Isabelle Borja-Martin, CRC Volunteer Laura Isidean, and CRC VP for Ontario Liane Fernandes

27 February 2025 — Canadian Red Cross (CRC) Vice-President for Ontario, Liane Fernandes, and Volunteer Laura Isidean visited the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto today. The CRC team shared their ongoing efforts to increase outreach to the diverse communities in Ontario, aimed at enhancing awareness about the CRC’s various programs as well as enlisting new volunteers.

Consul General Angelica C. Escalona, joined by the Consulate’s Economic Officer, discussed opportunities for collaboration in supporting the Filipino diaspora in Canada, including through the conduct of emergency preparedness and risk readiness workshops and seminars with Consulate personnel, Filipino community leaders, and small business owners in Ontario and Manitoba, and the regular sharing of information on CRC resources as well as volunteer and work opportunities.

The CRC has been a long-time partner of the Philippine Red Cross. It has supported the Philippines during many disasters, including in the aftermath of typhoon Haiyan, and in the last 10 years contributed significantly to disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) efforts in the Philippines, particularly on WaSH services and embedding gender protection in all DRRM programs.

ADVISORY

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The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto informs the public that the only official website for obtaining a Philippine National Police (PNP) clearance is: https://pnpclearance.ph/

The website https://policeclearanceph.ph/ is a fraudulent and unauthorized site. Users who submit information on this website are at risk of compromising their privacy and security, as their sensitive personal data can be misused by malicious actors.

The public is also advised not to engage with unauthorized websites to ensure the security of their personal information.

ANNOUNCEMENT

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BARRIOLYMPICS: LARO▶️PLAY PHILIPPINE TRADITIONAL GAMES VIDEO ANIMATION

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Today’s episode of Barriolympics: Laro▶️Play features Sungka, a distribution board game of strategy and skills using shells and a boat-shaped board with two rows of seven small holes and two larger holes referred to as “house” at both ends of the board, one for each player.

The two players who take turns in distributing shells into the 14 small holes and their own house. The objective of the game is to gather the most number of shells to clean out your opponent.
Watch the exciting duel between the players of the Green Team and the Blue Team.

Who are you counting on to win?

This episode is made possible by Toei Animation Inc.

Barriolympics is a project between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Animation Council of the Philippines.

#DFAForgingAhead
##CulturalDiplomacy
#Barriolympics
#LaroPlay
#PhilippineGames
#PhilippineAnimation
#NationalArtsMonth
#AnimationCouncilOfThePhilippines
#ToeiAnimationPhilippines

OVERSEAS VOTING ONLINE

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Registered Filipino overseas voters (in Posts/Countries adopting online voting) may vote online in the May 12, 2025 elections.

To participate, you must be pre-enrolled as an online voter.
Pre-enrolment for online voting via the COMELEC Voting Portal is from March 10 to May 7, 2025.

The 30-day overseas voting period is from 13 April 2025 until 12 May 2025, at 7:00PM Philippine Standard Time.

Your voice matters, so don’t miss out! Let’s make sure your vote counts!

#COMELECOFOV #2025NLE #NLE2025 #OverseasVotingOnline #2025NLEOnlineVoting #NLE2025OnlineVoting #MakaBAGOngHalalanParaSaMakaBAGOngPilipino #PHinCanada

CALL FOR REGISTRATION FOR FILIPINO AND FILIPINO-CANADIAN GRADUATE STUDENTS, SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS IN CANADA, AND FILIPINO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS IN CANADA

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Consistent with Republic Act 11035 or the Balik Scientist Act implemented by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, and as part of the Philippine Government’s efforts to strengthen and expand research and development networks and capabilities in the industry, energy and emerging technology sectors, the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in Canada are calling on all Filipino and Filipino-Canadian Graduate Students, Scientists, Engineers, and Experts in Canada, and Filipino Science and Technology Organizations in Canada to register and be informed of programs, including the DOST Balik Scientist Program (BSP).

The BSP is a brain gain initiative of the Philippine government which aims to tap into the ingenuity and expertise of Filipinos abroad to strengthen the S&T capabilities of local researchers in the academe, public and private institutions, and industry. The program was established in 1975 and was institutionalized in 2018 as a DOST-administered program.

Register through https://qrco.de/FilCanScientists until March 15, 2025, and learn more about the Balik Scientist Program!

By providing your information, you are consenting to the inclusion of your details in the Philippine Embassy and Consulates in Canada’s directory, as well as the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. Your information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and will not be shared with any third party.

CIVIL REGISTRATION MONTH

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February is Civil Registration Month in the Philippines.

Check out this video by the Philippine Statistics Authority which talks about how and when we started celebrating this month to remind Filipinos to register significant events, such as births, marriages and deaths.

This applies to all Filipinos, no matter where you are in the world. For those in Canada, specifically in Ontario and Manitoba, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto serves as your Local Civil Registry.

For the requirements and procedure for registering your child’s birth, your marriage, or the death of a family member, visit our website at
https://philcongen-toronto.com/consular/consular_report.php.

#PHinToronto #35thCRM