Advisories & News
Press Release
Philippine Consulate General in Toronto Celebrates Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month with the Filipino Canadian Community
2023-06-15
12 June 2023, Toronto – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto celebrated the 125th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month with a series of activities with the Filipino Canadian community in Ontario and Manitoba.
The celebrations started on 03 June 2023with the Philippine flag raising organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) at Earl Bales Park in the morning and a “Pistahan” event organized by the Filipino Centre in the afternoon. A mass and cultural expose was organized by the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) on 08 June 2023 followed by a gala dinner by the Hamilton Filipino Center on 09 June 2023.
On 10 June 2023, the Philippine Charitable Foundation Inc. held a Pinoy Fiesta and Trade Show in Scarborough. On the same day, there were two theatrical performances showcasing Philippine literature and history. The Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre staged Cartas de Amor or love letters, a musical on Dr. Jose Rizal and his first love, Leonor Rivera. The Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba, for its part, staged a live reading of Florante at Laura.
A series of Philippine flag raising ceremonies were conducted on 11 and 12 June 2023 despite the heavy rains. On 11 June 2023, the flag raising ceremonies were conducted in the cities of Vaughan, Brampton and Markham. The ceremonies were attended by local government officials as well. On 12 June 2023, the Philippine flag was hoisted at the Nathan Philips Square at around 8:30 am with Toronto Deputy Mayor Jennifer Mckelvie in attendance. This was followed by another flag raising ceremony at Queen’s park at around 11:30 am. A short program was held inside the Legislative Assembly building which was attended by Ontario Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton and other members of provincial parliament (MPP).
In the afternoon of 12 June 2023, the Consulate General held a reception for the Filipino community with the Honourable Michael Kerzner, MPP and Solicitor General, as Guest of Honor. Assistant Secretary Paul Raymond Cortes of the Department of Foreign Affairs also attended the reception as Special Guest.
The Canadian government officials who were present in these events all noted the heroism and sacrifices made by Filipinos to gain freedom and expressed gratitude to the contribution of Filipinos to Canada. “In every occupation in our province there is someone who came from the Philippines who has led us by example, and we are grateful for their ingenuity, care and concern”, MPP Kerzner said during his remarks at the reception.
There are still a number of activities and events to be conducted by the Filipino Canadian community in Ontario and Manitoba to mark Filipino Heritage Month and Philippine Independence Day in the coming days. Filipino Heritage Month is celebrated throughout Canada every June by virtue of Motion 155 which was adopted by the House of Commons on 30 October 2018. END.
Consul General Escalona (center) with officers and members of the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) during the Philippine flag raising ceremony at Earl Bales Park on 03 June 2023.
Consul General Escalona giving (center) with Hon. Shaun Chen (second form left), Member of Parliament during the Pistahan at the Filipino Centre on 03 June 2023.
Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague (leftmost) with Vaughan Local and Regional Councillor Mario Ferri (2nd from right) with Offiers of the Filipino-Candaian Association of Vaughan durig the flag raising ceremony on 11 June 2023.
Filipino-Canadian youth performing a traditional Filipino dance during the Philippine flag raising ceremony in Brampton on 11 June 2023.
Mr. Leander Mendoza (left) as Dr. Jose Rizal and Ms. Josephine Roces Chavez (right) as Leonor Rivera during the musical Cartas De Amor.
Consul Sumague (rightmost) with Toronto Deputy Mayor McKelvie (center) and Mr. Tote Quizan (left) of the Philippine Independence Day Flag Raising Committee during the Philippine flag raising ceremony at Nathan Philips Square, Toronto City Hall.
Philippine flag raising at the Queen’s Park.
Ceremonial cutting of the cake at the Legislative Assembly with (from left to right): MPP Dolly Begum, MPP Laura Smith, MPP Raymond Cho, Ms. Monina Serrano of the Federation of Filipino Canadians in Ontario, Consul Sumague, MPP Michael Kerzner and Indonesian Consul General Dyah Lestari Asmarani.
Members of the Filipino Canadian community, Consul Corps and government officials during the Consulate General’s Philippine Independence Day reception for the Filipino community.
Ceremonial cutting of the cake during the Consulate General’s Philippine Independence Day reception for the Filipino Community with MPP Deepak Anand (4th from left)m MPP Kerzner (4th from right), Assistant Secretary Cortes (3rd from right), Consul Sumague (2nd from right) and members of the Consular Corps.