25 June 2015 - Over a dozen community festivals and other events are being held in Metro Vancouver in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General to commemorate the 116th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
As of this date, at least eight big events have been held in different cities of Metro Vancouver:
- June 1: The flag-raising ceremony at the Filipino Plaza in Vancouver;
- June 7: The Pista ng Bayan cultural festival at the Slocan Park in Vancouver;
- June 8: The Sister City-Royal City Flag-Raising and Independence Day Parade in New Westminster;
- June 8: The Surrey Independence Day Society (SPIDS) Santacruzan and Independence Day Celebration in Surrey;
- June 12: The flag-raising ceremony at the Vancouver City Hall;
- June 12: The Philippine National Day Reception for the British Columbia Consular Corps;
- June 13: The Philippine National Day Gala Dinner and Dance at the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel; and
- June 14-15: The flag-raising ceremony at North Vancouver City Hall and Philippine Days Festival in North Vancouver, organized by the Metro-Vancouver Philippine Arts and Culture Exposition Society (MV-PACES).
Two more big events are scheduled toward the end of the month: the Pagdiriwang Festival in Richmond on June 21, and the Philippines-Canada Friendship Ball at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown on June 28.
In between these major events, dinner-dances, concerts and cultural shows are being held by other community groups and associations.
Philippine Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, who has been invited to be the guest of honor in all these events, expressed appreciation to the organizers and participants for keeping the Filipino heritage and culture vibrant in Canada.
Consul General Ferrer said that the Filipino-Canadian communities across Metro Vancouver are warmly commemorating Philippine Independence, while at the same time celebrating the shared values and strong friendship between the Philippines and Canada.
In keeping with this year’s Independence Day theme, “Kalayaaan 2014: Pagsunod sa Yapak ng mga Dakilang Pilipino, Tungo sa Malawakan at Permanenteng Pagbabago,” the Consul General underscored the role each and every Filipino can play in helping the Philippines achieve its development objectives and ensure an inclusive, just and prosperous society.
He also noted the need for the Filipino community to unite and work together towards establishing a full-fledged Filipino Community and Cultural Center in Metro Vancouver. He urged community leaders to work with all stakeholders and officials at all levels of government in order to generate the needed resources and funding support for the proposed Center.
Canadian officials who spoke at these events invariably praised the Filipino community and its contributions to Canada’s diverse culture and economic prosperity.
Meanwhile, B.C. Premier Christy Clark, in a letter to Consul General Ferrer, expressed “warm wishes to the people of the Philippines” on this occasion. “As friends and partners on the international stage, we take great pride in sharing such an important occasion with all of you,” Premier Clark added. END