Greetings from the Philippine Women Centre of BC!
We would like to cordially invite you to be a part of PWC’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday, September 13, at 1 pm.
Come hear about PWC’s latest work and share some ideas as we prepare to celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2009!
Please RSVP by Sept. 8 or for more information contact Denise at 604-215-1103 or pwc@kalayaancentre.net.
Vancouver, BC — On Saturday, July 19, and Sunday, July 20, the Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA) and the Philippine Women Centre (PWC) held two separate events to raise awareness and funding for the victims of the deadly typhoon “Frank” that hit central Philippines on June 21. Proceeds from both events are contributing to the Citizens
Disaster Response Centre in the Philippines, a non-governmental organization that promotes community-based disaster management in the Philippines.
On Saturday, UKPC/FCYA held their second Pinoy Poetiks of the year at Rhizome Cafe. It was a mixture of spoken word and song with each performance having a special dedication to the people of the Philippines. “It hit home for me because two of my uncles had to evacuate their homes in Iloilo, they woke up and their homes were flooded.” said Carlo Sayo of UKPC/FCYA. Sayo performed two spoken word pieces for the evening.
“I thought it was one of the best Pinoy Poetiks so far, you could really feel the unity and high energy in the room. It goes to show the amount of support the community has for those who are facing, not only, the everyday hardships back home but the hardships of trying to recover from such a disaster as typhoon frank,” said Ayex Bathan also of UKPC/FCYA.
Join us on Sunday, July 20th at the Shine Nightclub, 364 Water Street, Vancouver, B.C.
DOORS OPEN AT 9PM
$5-10 SLIDING SCALE
*NO GLIST
MUSIC PROVIDED BY DJ’S JTRAXX (EPIK ENT) AND D-JHUN
100% DOOR SALES AND DONATIONS WILL GO TOWARDS THE RELIEF FUND ORGANIZED BY THE CITIZENS’ DISASTER RESPONSE CENTER (CDRC). http://cdrc1984.multiply.com/
Organized by Gxotique Productions, Sammie Jo Productions, and the Philippine Women Centre of B.C.
On November 6-9, 2008, the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) and its member organizations will be hosting a research conference at the University of Toronto. The conference will showcase the accomplishments of a three-year project in partnership with Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism called “Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural and Multi-ethnic Canada.”
The National Research Conference ?will bring forward the most important issues confronting Filipinos and their community and how they address them in the course of their settlement and integration in Canada,” says Cecilia Diocson, the executive director of NAPWC. The project focuses on four major areas of concerns: enhancing Filipino women’s equality and human rights, making the Filipino youth count in the community’s future, combating systemic racism, and overcoming economic marginalization.
The conference will feature speakers who have been involved in the projects’ ongoing research and programs, as well as interactive workshops for the attendees. Conference organizers aim to share with the greater public their community-based and community-led research, gather more testimonies, and generate continuing research on the experiences of Filipinos in Canada. NAPWC programs act upon objectives such as community development, skills and capacity building, and enhanced public policy engagement within the Filipino community in Canada.
NAPWC has been engaged in research, education and public policy engagement. It was established in 2002 and has member organizations in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. For more information on
the conference, contact the conference secretariat c/o Joy Sioson at pwcontario@yahoo.ca or 416-519-2553.
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Philippine Women Centre of Ontario (PWC-ON) Member of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) Telephone: 416-878-8772
Progressive Filipinos in Canada support the complaint of Marichu Suarez Baoanan against Baja family
As progressive Filipinos in Canada, we support the civil complaint of Marichu Suarez Baoanan alleging trafficking, forced labour, peonage and racketeering against her former employer, Lauro Liboon Baja Jr. and his family. Baja is a 71-year old retired former Philippine ambassador to the United Nations and current foreign affairs consultant of Philippine Senate President Manuel Villar.
According to reports, Baoanan, a 39-year old nursing graduate from the Philippines, arrived in the United States in January 2006 with a diplomatic “red” passport and visa, as a “personal employee” of Ambassador Baja. She says she paid P250,000 to Baja’s wife, Norma Baja in agreement for exchange of transportation to the U.S, a visa, work authorization and help in finding a nursing job. Instead, she says she was forced to work in the five-story Philippine consular residence 16 hours a day, seven days a week and only received $200 for three months of work. She says she also received abuse from Baja’s grandson who was allowed to hit her. read more …
Dear Friends,
Please find below an article on the Philippine Women Centre Young Women’s Committee “Kabataang Babae Sulong para sa Kinabukasan” (Young Filipino Women Struggle Forward for the Future)”.
For photos of the conference, please visit:
http://kalayaancentre.net/assets/images/photos/2008/14june08_youngfilwomen_conf.htm
Thank you,
Philippine Women Centre of B.C.
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Article by: Rizalina Josefa Carr
*Young Pinays on Center Stage: Women Bonded Together*
While hundreds of people attended the Philippine Independence Day celebration at Slocan Park in Vancouver, over 30 young women attended the “Filipino Young Women’s Conference” held at Vancouver Community Centre at 250 W. Pender on June 14, 2008.
Ning Alcuitas-Imperial, a graduate of the University of Manitoba’s Law Program and Chairperson for the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada was the keynote speaker on the conference “Kabataang Babae Sulong para sa Kinabukasan” (Young Filipino Women Struggle Forward for the Future). One could not help being emotional as Alcuitas-Imperial rightly pointed out that domestic workers, caregivers, workers at McDonalds, Tim Horton’s, malls and the many service oriented business in Canada are being staffed by Filipinas. Use a Google search for “Filipino women” and what do you see? According to Alcuitas-Imperial; “Beautiful Filipino women available for love and marriage, mail order brides, dating
services, older men seeking young women, etc.” read more …
| Joanne Lee-Young |
| Vancouver Sun |
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The sizeable Filipino community in Metro Vancouver is rallying in many small ways to help in the aftermath of Typhoon Fengshen, which has killed hundreds of people, capsized a large ferry and left thousands more missing or stranded across the Philippines.
“Instead of setting up an organization to work on fundraising, we are helping through the churches,” said Carmelita Tapia, a Vancouver businesswoman and former president of the Canada-Asean Trade Council. “They have acted so fast.”
Tapia said that, in coordination with the Filipino Fellowship Baptist Church, she “is e-mail-blasting the heads of some 125 Filipino community organizations [in Metro Vancouver] and telephoning them to ask them to give anything they can spare. Money is the main thing so that people can buy necessities. If we send [things], it could take up to two months for them to arrive.”
Roy Esteban, a pastor at the church, said he will work with counterparts at other Filipino churches to come up with specific strategies for sending aid once it has been collected.
“We will not just send money. It is sad, but in our experience with past [relief] events, it is important to make sure we are helping the people who need it most,” said Esteban.
He said that despite this caution, his congregation is keenly watching news from the Philippines as heavy rains, flash floods and landslides persist. “Some of our members have family who have been directly impacted by the flooding,” said Esteban. “They have been evacuated from their homes. Some are standing on rooftops.”
Morris Torivio, a part-time driver for Delta-based UMAC Express Cargo, a large chain that specializes in shipping boxes of personal effects — mostly filled with groceries, toiletries and clothing — to the Philippines, said that in the days following the typhoon, “people who normally might send one or two boxes are sending three or four. One family sent 10. ”
Tapia said that, in 2006, when a post-earthquake mudslide in the southern Philippines province of Leyte killed more than a thousand people, expatriate Filipinos in Metro Vancouver collectively raised some $46,000 to help. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but the money went a long way in the Philippines,” said Tapia.
Vancouver-based B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, along with several other non-government organizations, issued a call for help, saying in a statement: “In these times of natural disasters, the majority of victims are the poverty-stricken population.
“The majority of the people are already faced with economic crisis, such as the food crisis. The typhoon adds further suffering to the Filipino people. Already pushed in the margins of government priorities, these needy and poor populations are further left in extreme vulnerability and danger in times of natural and man-made calamities.”
The committee is asking for donations to be made at any Vancouver City Savings Credit Union branch to the account: “Philippine Disaster Relief Fund,” account number: 63487, Branch 28. Donations can also be mailed to the Philippine Women Centre of B.C., 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6A 1G7.
DEADLY TYPHOON “FRANK” DEVASTATES COMMUNITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Filipino community in Canada and Canadians grieve and sympathize with the victims of supertyphoon Fengshen (Frank) that swept the Philippines over the weekend. We urgently appeal for financial support to help the relief efforts.
According to official reports, nearly 1000 people are confirmed dead, including those dead or missing from a ferry that sank in central Philippines. Over 35, 500 families had to be evacuated from their homes due to the rapid flooding and landslide risks. The hardest hit areas are Iloilo, Romblon, Cotabato, Antique, and Capiz.
In these times of natural disasters, the majority of victims are the poverty-stricken population. The majority of the people are already faced with economic crisis, such as the food crisis, the typhoon adds further suffering to the Filipino people. Already pushed in the margins of government priorities, the needy and poor populations are further left in extreme vulnerability and danger in times of natural and man-made calamities.
The Philippines is ill-equipped to handle natural calamities because most of the government budget goes towards servicing the foreign debt and militarization, and not towards badly-needed social services. According to reports, only 0.1 percent of national budget is allotted to calamity funds.
In these trying times, it is ever-more urgent for us to continue to build direct people to people support. Please donate to help in the people’s relief efforts.
Donations can be made at any Vancouver City Savings Credit Union branch to the account: “Philippine Disaster Relief Fund,” Account Number: 63487, Branch 28. You can mail your donations to Philippine Women Centre of B.C. 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6A 1G7. Please signify that your donations are for “Typhoon Frank” relief efforts.
In solidarity,
B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Women Centre of B.C.
Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance
Filipino Nurses Support Group
SIKLAB (Overseas Filipino workers’ organization)
Sinag Bayan Cultural Arts Collective
Philippine health and medical mission community forum
June 28, 2008, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Rm.1230, Bahen Centre, University of Toronto
40 St. George Street ( closest intersection St. George and College Streets)
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Dear Friends,
Warmest greetings from the Philippine Women Centre of Ontario and the Philippines Canada Task Force on Human Rights!
On June 28, 2008, Dr. Lynn Farrales, a Filipino-Canadian physician based in Vancouver will be speaking at a community forum on the Philippine health and medical mission at the University of Toronto’s Bahen Centre, Rm. 1230 (40 St. George Street), 2:00-5:00 p.m.
The Philippine health and medical mission provides the opportunity for community organizers and Canadian health professionals to work together as Dr. Farrales plans a medical mission with other professionals who are interested in supporting community-based initiatives. Working with community organizations, this mission stresses the need to develop medical initiatives in the Philippines at the grassroots level.
Dr. Farrales completed medical school at Queens University and Family Practice training at the University of British Columbia. She also holds a Masters degree in Human and Nutritional Sciences from the University of British Columbia. Just recently, she has completed extra residency training in the field of International Health and has worked in the areas of refugee health, HIV/AIDS, and mental health
Last year, Dr. Farrales traveled to rural Kenya to work on an HIV/AIDS project. She has recently returned from the Philippines where she worked with community based organization Citizens Disaster Response Centre (CDRC).
I am looking forward to your presence at this event. For more information or to confirm attendance, contact 416-519-2553.
In Solidarity,
Joy C. Sioson
Philippine Women Centre of Ontario
The families of two Filipino youth who were victims of violence say their families were victims of racial profiling by the RCMP and are demanding a public apology and inquiry about the incidents.
Cezar Dalde, the father of Charle Dalde, the 24-year old Filipino man killed in Richmond last April, says RCMP harassed his family immediately after his son was killed. Evelyn Vasquez the mother of a Filipino youth says her son was wrongfully implicated along with 25 other Filipino youth in incidents of racist harassment and violence at Vancouver Technical Secondary School in 1999. The two will speak in a press conference on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell St. (at Jackson Ave.) in Vancouver. Media are cordially invited to the press conference.
The families will also speak along with community organizers at a public community forum, “Filipino Community Unite for Our Social Justice” on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Richmond City Hall, 6911 No. 3 Road in Richmond. The public forum is closed to the media.
The community forum is the second of a series to raise awareness about the issues facing by migrant and immigrant Filipino families in Canada and strategize actions for change.
The events are being organized by groups located at the Kalayaan Centre including the Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance, SIKLAB (Advance and Uphold the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers), Philippine Women Centre of BC (a member of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada), BC Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Filipino Nurses Support Group and Sinagbayan Cultural Arts Collective.
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For more information, please call: Niki or Dinah at ph: 604-215-1103 or e-mail: pwc@kalayaancentre.net