Opinions
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PHCM leadership makes us proud |
This past week, Filipino- Canadians in Winnipeg gathered to commemorate the 112th anniversary of Philippine Independence. Despite the rainy weather, all the scheduled activities were very well attended.
For the last five years, the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba (PHCM) has taken the lead in planning and implementing the annual heritage week programs. It is worth mentioning that attendance to all the programmed events, through the last five years, has increased not only among kababayans but also among friends of the Filipino community.
This year, the weeklong festivities kicked off with the traditional flag-raising ceremony aptly called Hawak Kamay (holding hands), recognizing the spirit of cooperation that prevailed among the individuals and various organizations that have supported PHCM’s projects. Certificates of Appreciation were handed out to those who have helped PHCM conduct its many activities through the five years that it has been in existence. The record-breaking number of attendees to this first event on June 5 at the PCCM is significant because it showed that the recipients considered it an honour to receive the award. That it was, indeed, special.
Another successful event was the annual Philippine Inde- pendence Ball held on Friday, June 11th at the Marlborough Hotel – it was a sold out gala event. The organizers even had to turn away a few people who wanted to buy tickets at the last minute because the Skyview Ballroom was already filled to capacity.
It is also significant to note that the PHCM has not limited the festivities to one week; it has designed a yearlong program of events promoting our culture and heritage.
Congratulations to the officers and members of the Coordinating Committee of the PHCM for another very successful Philippine Heritage Week celebration.
For many months this group of men and women devoted many hours meeting and planning, unselfishly giving their valuable time and talent so that we Filipino- Canadians in Manitoba could celebrate and honour our heritage together with fellow Filipinos around the world. Compliments to the Executive Officers, namely, Perla Javate (President), Darlyne Bautista (Vice-President), Helen Jayme (Secretary), Enrico Ancheta (Asst. Secretary), Linda Ramos (Treasurer), Ligaya Buenaventura (Asst. Treasurer) and Symmone Ochoa (PRO), and all PHCM member organizations and affiliates.
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If you have been a Winnipeg resident long enough to have attended the Philippine Independence celebrations prior to 2006, you have probably noticed the huge difference between how we used to commemorate this special historical event compared to now. Before the PHCM was established, most events, especially the Independence Ball, featured long-winded, self- aggrandizing speeches not only by politicians, but also by the so- called leaders of the community. Now, the PHCM has explicitly limited the speeches to just two – a keynote speaker and a youth representative. The former is given a maximum of 10 minutes and the latter, two minutes. This way, guests who paid $35.00 for their gala dinner tickets are able to enjoy the night dancing with their friends and mingling with kababayans instead of trying to suppress their yawning while listening to long, meaningless speeches.
The Filipino-Canadian youth are also very well represented and heard in the PHCM. Even the community picnic has now become more hospitable and accepting compared to many years ago.
PHCM is what it is because of its leadership. I would like to pay tribute to Ms Perla Javate, the current PHCM president. When PHCM was conceived, she was the vice-president but she had to accept the presidency due to the untimely death of the first PHCM president, Mr. Ric Medina.
A person’s leadership ability is very important but it must also be combined with the person’s moral credibility and trustworthiness. The PHCM has the support and trust of our community and the friends of our community because of the leadership of Ms Perla Javate and her members.
Job Fair
The Winnipeg Service Canada Centre for Youth and the Province of Manitoba invite students and youth to Portage Place Shopping Centre on Thursday, June 24, 2010 for a Job Fair. Come down between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to take advantage of a great opportunity to meet with prospective employers.
Service Canada Centre for Youth and Province of Manitoba staff will be available for free to help with re?sume?s, cover letters and interview preparation.
For information, call 983- 5520. Our friend Jan Nato and his colleagues will be there to assist you.