PH Consul General Congratulates 12 Filipino Champions, Encourages to be Role Models for Change
Consul General Asuque speaks at The Filipino Champions of Canada Awards and Heritage Gala 2019. (Calgary PCG photo)
CALGARY 26 June 2019 – Consul General to Calgary Gilberto Asuque challenged the 12 Filipino Champion Awardees to reach out to Filipinos in Canada and be the role models for change and improvement in their careers and family live.
Consul General Asuque spoke at The Filipino Champions of Canada (TFCC) Awards and Heritage Gala 2019 on 14 June 2019, where 12 Filipinos and Filipino-Canadians were recognized for their outstanding achievements in their careers and business endeavors as well as for their civic / philanthropic work for the community.
“There are over 950,000 Filipinos in Canada and the TFCC awardees could set the benchmark for our kababayan to succeed in their work, careers and family life,” the Consul General stressed in his remarks. During the presentation of the awards, each of the recipients spoke of their challenges, experiences, hard work and perseverance to achieve their goals as migrants in Canada.
The 12 TFCC 2019 awardees are: Marites Aielio, Certified Recruiter/Coach and award-winning community leader, The Royal Bank of Canada from Winnipeg, Manitoba; Jose Angeles Jr., publisher/award-winning financial advisor and community leader from Edmonton, Alberta; Ramon Cairo, engineer and Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba President from Winnipeg, Manitoba; Mark Calvelo, Complete Real Estate Group President and CEO, Calvelo Holdings and Investment Corporation Director, and award-winning realtor and philanthropist; Narima Dela Cruz, Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award, Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS) Founder and award-winning community leader from Surrey, British Columbia.
Completeing the list are China Gapido, nurse and Ohana Care Health Services Chief Operating Officer from Calgary, Alberta; Pilar “Pinky” Kowalchuk, award-winning fitness trainer from Calgary, Alberta; Ms. Flora Kupsch, international award-winning Female Cowboy Action Shooter and Wild West Shooting Centre Owner from Edmonton, Alberta; Beverly Mendoza, McLeod Law-Wills and Estate Group Lawyer from Calgary, Alberta; Rosanna Penilla-Bharucha, award-winning entrepreneur and community leader from Toronto, Ontario; Rey Rosales, award-winning professor and MacEwan University-Department of Communication Chair from Edmonton, Alberta; and Desiree Tan, Legal Aid Alberta Youth Office Team Lead and Senior Defence Lawyer, from Calgary, Alberta.
Consul General Asuque also thanked the TFCC, headed by founder Jerry Caingcoy, its members and volunteers for this annual event and encouraged them to resonate to all the Filipinos the achievements and experiences of the awardees and be role models for life-changing paths in Canada.
The Consul General noted that the TFCC Awards 2019 form part of the celebration of Philippine Heritage Month, which was proclaimed by the Provincial Government of Alberta in June of each year in recognition of the significant contributions of Filipino-Canadians in Alberta to the “social, economic, cultural and historical richness of the Province of Alberta” and who “represent a vibrant and dynamic component of our cultural mosaic.” The House of Commons of the Federal Government also passed a motion declaring June of each year as Philippine Heritage Month all over Canada. END
Consul General Asuque with the 12 TFCC Awardees at the Awards and Heritage Gala 2019 in Calgary (Calgary PCG photo)
Consul General Asuque with TFCC Founder Jerry Caingcoy (3rd from left, front row), TFCC members and volunteers (Calgary PCG photo)
For more information, visit https://www.calgarypcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinCalgary/.