Advisories & News
Press Release
Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Presentation of Quincentennial Awards
2021-09-19
PR-2021-53
13 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – Philippine Consul General in Toronto, Consul General Orontes V. Castro, presented the awardees from the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) with their Quincentennial appreciation plaques during the Regular Meeting of the TCDSB’s Committee on Student Achievement and Well-being, Catholic Education and Human Resources held on Thursday, 2 September 2021 at 7:00 pm. Consul General Castro joined virtually the meeting.
The 15-minute Presentation of the Quincentennial Awards was included in the agenda of the meeting chaired by Committee Chair and Trustee Garry Tanuan, a Filipino Canadian, and forms part of the Awards Presentation that transpired after the Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of the City of Toronto at the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica on 27 August 2021.
Trustee Tanuan highlighted the team work and collaboration between the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and the TCDSB-Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines (QJCP) team. He said that a lot was accomplished throughout the year of the QJCP celebration, kicking-off with the landmark TCDSB Proclamation approving on 17 September 2020 its celebration in all schools under its jurisdiction, the signing of the Proclamation and launch of the Philippine Consulate General’s Padayon Art Competition on 23 October 2020, followed by the 500-Year Milestone Virtual Future on 16 March 2021, and the historic commemoration of the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines and Announcement of the Padayon Art Competition Winners at the TCDSB’s Catholic Education Centre on 31 March 2021. He also mentioned the other virtual events leading up to the Thanksgiving Mass and Presentation of Quincentennial Awards on 27 August 2021, namely the virtual school visits and games in many schools and Board-wide in June 2021, the Filipino Heritage Day and Filipino Heritage Month Virtual Celebrations, and many more collaborative and commemorative events in the community.
Dr. Brendan Browne, Director of Education of the TCDSB also gave his speech in appreciation of the work of and the partnership with the Philippine Consulate General led by Consul General Castro for the celebration of the momentous occasion. He emphasized that 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines is something that the TCDSB celebrates because a large number of their students are of Philippine heritage and many of the Catholic parishes in Toronto are flourishing because of the contributions of the Filipino community.
The Committee Vice Chair, Trustee Teresa Lubinski also expressed her appreciation to Consul General Castro for the opportunity to honor the QJCP celebrations and to learn about the Filipino community. She also praised the Consul General for giving life to the theme “Gifted to Give” and for being a virtuous example.
Before presenting the Quincentennial plaques to the TCDSB awardees, Consul General Castro conveyed his thanks to TCDSB Chair Joseph Martino, Dr. Browne, and the TCDSB Trustees. He said that Toronto’s celebration of the Philippine Quincentennial Commemorations is among the vibrant and well-participated by both the Filipino Canadians and mainstream Canadians. He praised the TCDSB for commemorating the milestone event with the Philippine Consulate General despite the ongoing pandemic and its challenges. He mentioned that the TCDSB was the first Canadian government agency and perhaps the first in the world that issued a Proclamation for the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. He added that the TCDSB, together with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB), joined and became the Philippine Consulate General’s partners in the Padayon Art Competition, with the support of the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts, where brave parents, students and teachers from the Archdiocese of Toronto submitted a total of 111 artworks. He also emphasized the inspiring messages of hope and healing that were shared by the student participants through their respective Artist Statements.
Consul General read the Quincentennial Award of Chair Martino and the other officials and staff of the TCDSB who were not present during the Thanksgiving Mass and Quincentennial Award Presentation held on 27 August 2021 at the St. Michael’s Cathedral. He ended his speech thanking all the officials and staff of the TCDSB, from a grateful nation and Filipino people. Trustee Tanuan also thanked Consul General Castro and his staff for their generous contribution of time, talent and treasure. – END
