In a surprising development, the Filipino Centre Toronto (FCT) co-founder, former Chairman, and principal benefactor, Dr. Vicky Santiago, DDM, has resigned from the FCT Board of Directors (BOD). The loss of Dr. Santiago, a stalwart supporter, at this critical time does not bode well for the FCT BOD. As a pillar and well-respected figure in the Filipino community… Read More »
By: Teresa Torralba June 2021 is an incredibly special month to our Filipino-Canadian community. It is when we celebrate the Filipino Heritage month all over Canada. As well, Filipinos around the globe have events throughout the year to celebrate the Quincentennial year of the Philippines. It was 500 years ago that the Philippines was discovered by explorers led… Read More »
If anyone watched the Television Special of the Filipino Heritage Council of Canada last Sunday dubbed “Filipino Canadians Celebrate Canada: Isang Pagdiriwang”, last Sunday June 27 on OMNI TV and/or the repeat airing of the TV Special last Tuesday, June 29, unmissable was the touching video created by 2 TCDSB kindergarten teachers Mei Wareham and Leanne Oca with… Read More »
Ready, willing and able, but only requires a second chance By Faye Arellano Is there hope for permanent residence (PR) for out-of-status caregivers whose lives are in limbo? The short answer is yes. But how to achieve the desired result may be more complicated than that. Application on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) ground is one legal remedy that… Read More »
By Faye Arellano Maria, 35, arrived in Canada a decade ago under the defunct Live-in Caregiver’s Program. Her initial employer changed her mind about hiring her and immediately released Maria on her first week. It took Maria about seven months to find a new employer who was willing to do the required paperwork. This time, Maria endured almost… Read More »
In pursuit of the elusive PR By Faye Arellano After several failed attempts to restore her legal status even with the help of a lawyer, Maria eventually became undocumented in 2014. “I incurred so much debts in the course of my legal battle, to no avail,” recalled Maria. She added that she was desperate to renew her work… Read More »
Barely a year to the 2022 presidential election, the field is getting crowded. And money is not a problem for the top three undeclared contenders. They’re all super rich. But how they will fight it out is a subject of much speculation. They’re all expected to slug it out in the open once the campaign season starts. That’s… Read More »
By Hermione Cabie Santos A 55-year old patient has been taking pain medications round the clock for several months. Unable to sleep most nights and taking high doses of anti-anxiety medications, he seeks other means of addressing his condition.Finally, he reads about medical cannabis, discovers its benefits and now enjoysa more pain-free way of life! We all have… Read More »
June is Seniors Month in Ontario. This year’s theme is “Stay safe, active and connected”. As a way to recognize the older adults and the contributions they made in communities across Ontario, many non-profit organizations have been taking initiatives to promote awareness about the many ways to support our seniors. Society of Sharing: Inner-City Volunteers is one of… Read More »
In the first five months of 2021, more than 7,500 Americans died from gun violence. Why? What’s causing the pandemic on gun violence? Gun control advocates say that background checks are not effective. Gun ownership advocates insist that guns don’t kill; it’s the people that kill people, which is convoluted logic. But according to a gun control advocacy… Read More »