TORONTO – Media colleague Tenny Soriano was incensed. And so are some of the community’s patriotic citizens.
From what I’m told, not since the centennial celebration of 1998 had the Philippine government been so extravagant in its support of an event that capitalizes on Philippine independence day as this one involving the fledgling Canada Philippine Fashion Week (CPFW).
There should not have been any problem, except that CPFW is a private Canadian enterprise soliciting money from the public through an ostentatious promise of days of pomp and glitter for selected people. The declared beneficiary is a private Canadian foundation.
The official seals of two Philippine government agencies – the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Tourism – appear in CPFW websites everywhere, specifically in Facebook, as “our partners”.
Some questions arise: What does it entail to be a partner? Money from Filipino taxpayers? If there is an amount involved, how much was allotted from the national treasury? (Full story at: http://www.balita.ca/2013/05/consulate-endorses-but-refuses-to-tell-role-in-fashion-event/).
Whatever the answers – and I don’t think they’re forthcoming – the appearance of official government emblems constitutes unequivocal endorsement. There’s the unmistakable sense that the Philippines is actively involved in the private Canadian endeavour, and is, in fact, promoting it!
CPFW has no track record of any community activity of the grand magnitude it widely claims. Yet Consul General Junever Mahilum-West chose to back it like no other to the detriment of the well-established ones like Filipino Centre Toronto (FCT), Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC), the Fiesta Filipina in Brampton and a few others.
Come to think of it, all CPFW has is a film screening and a fashion show in some swanky venues. The chosen locales command stiff cost, which is one reason for the high-priced tickets.
But its organizer, the recent badminton (yes, badminton) awardee named Jeff Rustia, packaged it so well that even if it had only men and ladies underwear, T-tanks and mismatching pants and shirts from thrift shops, some people would still buy his crap. The Philippine government did. Some sponsors did.
Rustia’s command of superlatives (e.g. the world’s first, spectacular, the best, dazzling, incredible, pioneering, etc.), undoubtedly moved innocent people and unsuspecting business establishments and institutions.
But he couldn’t convince the local and mainstream press, which are cynical about his lavish statements from the start. Thus despite pretensions of exclusivity, they totally ignored his invitation to its launching and press conferences. (Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr3hTF6IuYg).
Consul General Junever Mahilum-West said earlier that the consulate was “not a funding sponsor”. If that is true and it is an honest answer to my query, why didn’t she explain specially now that some segments of the community are being turned off by what appears to be favoritism of the highest order?
Only three events in my estimation would measure up as representative of Filipino culture and the Philippine social fabric, namely, those undertaken annually by FCT, PIDC and the Fiesta Filipina in Brampton. The others, notably the one run by the bogus charity Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation, are unadulterated money-making ventures.
I believe that because of Rustia’s hoopla (or is it the Philippine government’s naivete?), the consul general was carried away to the point of snubbing the true exemplars of Filipino identity. The support that these activities enjoy comes from the grassroots.
In comparison, CPFW has nothing to speak of; its backers must have been led to believe that the promised 350,000 attendees/watchers/viewers would descend from another planet and lend their presence in the CPFW events. If horse manure stinks, this is it.
“Fashion week has taken over the observance of the Philippine national independence day. There is no longer the traditional open house,” laments journalist Tenny Soriano.
“Instead it’s all fashion week, a pretentious private social event masquerading as part of what should be an official national day,” he says.
“These people behind the fashion week should be condemned for desecrating a solemn national event that should be participated by all Filipinos here in Canada,” Soriano adds.
Indeed it’s a sad day to see the diminution of the single most important day in the life of the Philippines and its people.
And quite ironic too that on the very day of independence, and with the full acquiescence of Consul General Mahilum-West and Ambassador Leslie Gatan, the CPFW is screening a film about Jose Rizal, the foremost national hero who had no connection to the revolution that led to freedom. #