Declaring June as the Filipino Heritage Month across Canada, from the Pacific to the Atlantic to the Arctic regions, is an unprecedented acknowledgment of our roles in enriching the larger communities from coast to coast to coast.

The month of June is of historical importance to all Filipinos as it was on June 12, 1898 that the Philippines declared independence from the 333-year colonization of Spain.

Concurrent to the month of June 2019 is the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Philippines. The official relationship between the Philippines and Canada started in 1949 when Canada established a trade mission to Manila.

Even as we observe eight decades of being an essential part of this country, no such recognition has ever been extended to the Filipino diaspora since 1930, when the first recorded Filipino immigrants settled in Canada. The “small number” grew by leaps and bounds to about 851,410 as of 2016. The figure represents 2.42 percent of the Canadian population

With the Canadian government’s full support and the Filipino-Canadians’ renewed and inspired unity, the first Filipino Heritage Month promises to be a momentous event in strengthening the Philippine-Canadian relationship.

We will celebrate the national recognition of our Filipino heritage officially on June 1, 2019, to spark the unity and social engagement of the citizens of the Filipino-Canadian community.

It is with hope that the Filipino Heritage Celebration on June 1st, 2019 at the Albert Campbell Square, Scarborough, ON will become an emblem of our cultural unity and the collective socioeconomic progress in Canada.

Let us all work together to unite on June 1st to show the world our pride as we furthermore establish our cultural roots within our community because we have so much more to grow!