SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ENRIQUE MANALO AND YORK UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS DISCUSS WAYS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC LINKAGES

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Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo (center) with Provost and Vice President for Academic Lisa Philipps (8th from left), Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria (8th from right), Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (6th from left), Consul General Angelica Escalona (7th from right) and other York University officials and professors at the university grounds (photo courtesy of York University)

Toronto, 10 May 2024 – Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo met with officials of York University led by Provost and Vice President for Academic Lisa Philipps at the University’s Kaneff Tower. York Officials conveyed the university’s gratitude for the Php5,000,000.00 (around CAD$116,000.00) donation of the Philippine government in 2022 for the implementation of programs and projects on Philippine studies.

York officials also briefed Secretary Manalo on the various engagements of the university and individual professors with Philippine institutions on subjects related to education and research. Provost Philipps noted the flourishing activities between Philippine institutions and York University and the possibility to further expand these collaborations.

Secretary Manalo conveyed his appreciation for the strong ties between York university and the Philippines and expressed his support to further strengthen these linkages, including the institutionalization of a Philippine studies program at the university. END

Secretary Manalo with Provost Philipps (photo courtesy of York University)

SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ENRIQUE MANALO VISITS TORONTO’S “LITTLE MANILA”

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(Left to right) Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria (back), Minister for Small Business Rechie Valdez, Consul General Angelica Escalona (back) and Member of Parliament and Chair of the Canada-Philippine Interparliamentary Friendship Group Marco Mendicino

Toronto, 09 May 2024 – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo went on a waking tour of Toronto’s “Little Manila” at the Wilson-Bathurst area, visiting several Filipino business establishments in the area together with Minister for Small Business Rechie Valdez and Member of Parliament and Chair of the Canada-Philippine Interparliamentary Friendship Group Marco Mendicino.

Minister Valdez hosted a dinner for Secretary Manalo at Kabalen, which specializes in Kapampangan dishes.

The increasing number of Filipinos in Toronto led to the establishment of many Filipino businesses in the area including restaurants, bakeries and variety stores. The area is now generally associated with the Filipino business community and is unofficially and affectionately called Little Manila. END

(Left) Secretary Manalo visit Verna’s Laguna Special Buko Pie (Right) Secretary Manalo with MP Mendicino walking along Wilson Avenue where many of the Filipino establishments are located

SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ENRIQUE MANALO AND ONTARIO PREMIER DOUG FORD DISCUSS WAYS TO PROMOTE WELFARE AND INTERESTS OF FILIPINO DIASPORA

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo (photo courtesy of Province of Ontario)

Toronto, 09 May 2024 – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford during his official visit to Toronto. Premier Ford acknowledged the significant contributions of Filipinos to Ontario’s development while Secretary Manalo expressed gratitude for the hospitality and the opportunities provided by Ontario to Filipinos.

Secretary Manalo conveyed the Philippine government’s hope for the continued support of the province in streamlining credentials recognition for internationally trained and educated professionals and strengthening protection for foreign workers and international students. Premier Ford conveyed the Ontario government’s commitment to address the concerns of the Filipino community.

Secretary Manalo and Premier Ford also discussed opportunities for cooperation on trade and investment, energy security and people to people exchanges.

During the meeting, Premier Ford was joined by Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini, Special Advisor to the Premier Mr. Anish Dwivedi and Director of Policy Mr. Kyles Fritz. Secretary Manalo was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria, Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga of the Office of American Affairs, Consul General Angelica Escalona, Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague and Special Assistant Tanya Faye Ramiro.

According to the 2021 Census of Statistics Canada, the Province of Ontario has the largest number of Filipinos in Canada at 363,650, which represents 38% of the total number of Filipinos in the country. END

Premier Ford and Secretary Manalo discuss the concerns of the Filipino diaspora in Ontario (photo courtesy of Province of Ontario)

(Left to right) Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini, Premier Ford, Secretary Manalo, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria, Consul General Angelica Escalona, Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga and Special Assistant Tanya Faye Ramiro. (photo courtesy of Province of Ontario)

PHILIPPINES JOINS 4TH HALAL EXPO CANADA 2024, INVITES CANADIANS TO INVEST IN THE PHILIPPINE HALAL INDUSTRY

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(L-R) BARMM Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Lanang Ali, Jr., The Expo Hut CEO Nasser Deeb, Consul General Angelica Escalona, Philippine DTI-Halal Program Manager Aleem Guiapal and Vietnam Commercial Counsellor Quynh Tran

08 May 2024 – A delegation composed of Philippine government and private sector representatives participated in the 4th Halal Expo Canada held at The International Centre in Mississauga on 8-9 May 2024. It was the first time that the Philippines participated in the Halal Expo Canada.

Mr. Aleem Siddiqui M. Guiapal, Manager of the Halal Program of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), gave a presentation on the Philippine halal ecosystem during the event. He shared that the halal economy covers not only food but also Islamic finance, halal tourism and recreation, modest fashion and halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

With regard to halal food, Mr. Guiapal said that the Philippines exports bananas, pineapple and cosmetics mostly to the Middle East and neighboring Southeast Asian countries. He noted, however, that there is a significant supply gap in the Philippines. In 2022, the Philippine halal imports were valued at around US$120 million composed mostly of halal dairy products, beef, poultry meat and glucose syrup sourced from the US, New Zealand and India.

Mr. Guiapal spoke about the Philippines’ halal industry roadmap, which aims to promote the Philippines as a premium halal-friendly hub in the Asia-Pacific region. “I invite you to invest in the Philippine halal industry, which is a sunrise industry,” he said. For more information about the Philippine Halal Industry, please visit https://www.dti.gov.ph/sdm_downloads/philippine-halal-industry-development-strategic-plan/.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Deputy Speaker of Parliament Atty. Lanang T. Ali Jr. gave a presentation on investing in the BARMM region. The DTI signed a partnership with the BARMM for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to benefit from halal initiatives. For more information about investing in the BARMM, please visit https://bangsamoro.gov.ph/.

The Halal Expo Canada participants were invited to participate in the Halal Expo Philippines to be held at the World Trade Center in Metro Manila on 14-16 November 2024. For more information about the Halal Expo Philippines, please visit https://www.halalexpophilippines.com/. END

(Center) Consul General Angelica Escalona and Consul General of Turkey to Toronto Can Yoldaş cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the 4th Halal Expo Canada

The Philippine delegation with Consul General Angelica Escalona and members and advisors of the Muslim Filipino Association of Canada

TORONTO CONSULATE GENERAL MEETS WITH SENECA POLYTECHNIC OFFICIALS, FILIPINO STUDENTS

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Deputy Consul General Kewin Orville Tate (2nd from right) and Seneca President David Agnew (2nd from left) discuss ways to support Filipino international students of Seneca Polytechnic

03 May 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General met with officials of Seneca Polytechnic to discuss ways to support Filipino international students enrolled in Seneca. Seneca Polytechnic accepts around 4,000 Filipino international students every term, making it one of the most popular destinations for Filipino students.

The Consulate General shall continue to visit colleges and universities under its jurisdiction in its effort to reach out to the growing number of Filipino international students arriving in Canada. According to the IRCC, Canada’s immigration agency, there were 25,265 and 33,945 student visas issued to Filipinos in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Approximately 40% of those granted student visas study in postsecondary institutions located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague discussing the Consulate General’s services and inviting the students to the Filipino International Students Convention

CONSULAR OUTREACH TO SAULT STE. MARIE

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CONSULAR OUTREACH TO WATERLOO-KITCHENER

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SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AND PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL TORONTO HOST KAPIHAN SA KONSULADO WITH SSS PRESIDENT AND CEO ROLANDO L. MACASAET

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SSS President and CEO Rolando Macasaet leading the discussion and answering questions from the Filipino community

22 April 2024 – The Social Security System (SSS) and Philippine Consulate General in Toronto hosted a Kapihan sa Konsulado to enable members of the Filipino community to hear from SSS President and CEO Rolando L. Macasaet and his team about updates on SSS policies and programs.

Joining PCEO Macasaet at the Kapihan were SSS Special Assistant and Chief of Staff Manuel Luis Antonio; Acting Vice President for Asia, Americas and the Pacific Operations Division Roberto Roldan; and SSS-Toronto Representative Ms. Lucille Blesilda Simbol.

Around 60 people attended the Kaphihan. Members of the Filipino community had the opportunity to ask questions about SSS contributions, benefits and pensions. PCEO Macasaet noted the concerns of those attending the event and invited them to check the status of their contributions with the SSS-Toronto Office.

PCEO Macasaet said that the SSS is focused on ensuring the financial viability of the pension fund and on providing social security protection to as many Filipino workers as possible. “As Overseas Filipinos, it is only fitting that you should be covered by adequate and reliable social protection for life’s contingencies”, he emphasized.

The SSS-Toronto Office can be reached through telephone number 416 485 2999 or email toronto@sss.gov.ph. To schedule an appointment, please click here (END)

SSS President and CEO Macasaet, Consul General Angelica Escalona and the members of the Filipino community during the SSS Kapihan sa Konsulado

(Left to right) Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague, SSS-Toronto Representative Lucille Simbol, SSS Acting Vice President Roberto Roldan, Consul General Escalona, SSS President and CEO Macasaet, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate, Special Assistant and Chief of Staff Manuel Luis Antonio and Consul Mary Grace Villamayor

PUBLIC HOLIDAY NOTICE - MAY 2024

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LIST OF APPROVED APPLICANTS BY THE RERB

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TORONTO CONSULATE GENERAL, MIGRANT WORKERS OFFICE JOIN HEALTH AND INFORMATION FAIR IN LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO

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MWO-Toronto rendering assistance to Filipino workers during the Leamington Health and Information Fair

14 April 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO)-Toronto participated in the 2024 Health and Information Fair organized by the Migrant Worker Community Program (MWCP) held at the Roma Club in Leamington, Ontario on 14 April 2024. The MWCP is a non-profit organization funded in part by the government of Canada and aimed at assisting temporary and seasonal workers working in the agricultural sector.

The Health and Information Fair is a “one-stop-shop” event for migrant workers based in Leamington and other municipalities in and around Essex County, Ontario. Called the “Tomato Capital of Canada”, Leamington has the largest concentration of commercial greenhouses in North America. These greenhouses have hired many Filipino agricultural workers, who welcome the regular outreach missions from the Consulate General and MWO – Toronto.

This year’s fair had more than 20 participating organizations. Free services included mental health support, blood pressure test, glucose screenings for diabetes, vaccines, dental screenings, and x-rays; along with connections to legal, income tax, and occupational health and safety supports. More than 500 workers from the Latino, Caribbean and Filipino migrant and temporary worker communities availed of the services.

In his remarks, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate reiterated the Philippine government’s commitment to support Filipino working overseas. He emphasized the importance of health and well-being especially for workers engaged in physical labor. The team from MWO-Toronto led by Welfare Officer Benny Reyes registered newly-arrived Filipino workers and rendered assistance to workers with various concerns. END

SINE INSTITUTE HOLDS INAUGURAL SINE FILM FEST AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS IN TORONTO

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Movie fans at a film screening during Sine Institute’s inaugural Sine Film Festival (Photos courtesy of Ms. Rosary Escaño and Ms. Baby K Jimenez)

14 April 2024 – Following its launch in September 2023, the non-profit Sine Institute successfully held its inaugural Sine Film Fest on 12-14 April 2024 at the Hotel X in Toronto. The Sine Film Fest aims to showcase Filipino talents in film, bringing to Toronto 10 feature films and seven short films including acclaimed movies such as GomBurZa, TOPAKK and Hello, Love, Goodbye.

Also included at the Sine Film Fest were free educational workshops on film development, production and acting hosted by the Toronto Film School and a 48-hour Sine Challenge open to participants of Filipino descent who can create their own film within the limited time frame.

The Filipino community as well as personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto fully supported the event.

Consul General Angelica Escalona, who attended the Sine Film Fest Power Gala on 14 April, said, “This year, the Philippines and Canada are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. Our relationship is anchored on people-to-people linkages, and events like this make our ties stronger. Films are a way to bring people together. It makes us feel connected and understood, even if we come from different cultures”. (END)

Consul General Angelica C. Escalona and the members of the Filipino community at the Sine Institute’s Power Gala

Sine Institute’s Ms. Rosary Escaño, Ms. Agnes Miranda, Ms. Felicitas “Baby K” Jimenez and Mr. Michaelangelo Masangkay

The red carpet for the guests at the Power Gala

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN TORONTO SUPPORTS KAINAN NA POP-UP AT SQUARE ONE, MISSISSAUGA

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Consul General Angelica Escalona with the members of Kainan Na in front of their pop-up at The District inside Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga

12 April 2024 – Consul General Angelica Escalona, Consul Grace Villamayor and Cultural Officer Maricel Samonte of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto visited the Filipino food and desserts pop-up of Kainan Na at The Food District, Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga. Kainan Na is a non-profit composed of Filipino-owned food vendors that aims to help members grow their business through strength in numbers.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Canada relations, Kainan Na’s food pop-up offered an exclusive menu of Filipino dishes and snacks with a Canadian twist such as adobo burger, sisig poutine, bibingka with bacon and maple syrup, a sari-sari charcuterie that includes Canadian maple smoked bison and longanisa, as well as a Filipino high tea.

The Kainan Food pop-up was open from 5 to 14 April 2024. According to Janet Lim, Founding Director of Kainan Na, “We enjoyed brisk sales. There were times when the lines were very long. We’re happy to see non-Filipinos enjoy Filipino food. Around 40 percent of our clients were non-Filipinos. Our best sellers include the Filipino High Tea, halo-halo flambe and sisig poutine.” END

Consul General Angelica Escalona going through Kainan Na’s wide selection of Filipino baked goodies, preserves and kakanin displayed at the pop-up at The District in Square One

Consul General Angelica Escalona with Kainan Na’s Janet Lim and Consul Grace Villamayor in front of Kainan Na’s Filipino High Tea, which consists of choice of tea served with traditional Filipino sweet and savory delicacies with a touch of Canadian flavor such as Canadian whisky ube truffle and 3-bite pistashew sansrival bomb

AMBASSADOR AUSTRIA MEETS WITH MANITOBA OFFICIALS, DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION

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Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew with Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria (photo courtesy of Province of Manitoba)

08 April 2024, Winnipeg – Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria met with Manitoba officials as part of her official visit to the province.

The Ambassador met Premier Wab Kinew and Minister of Immigration and Labor Malaya Marcelino at the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Building.

Ambassador Austria conveyed the Philippine government’s gratitude for the hospitality given to Filipinos by the Province of Manitoba. In turn, Premier Kinew acknowledged the contribution of Filipinos to the province. “The community is very important to our government,” he emphasized. The Premier and Minister Marcelino conveyed willingness to work with the Philippine government on the matter of foreign credentials recognition of Filipino nurses who are already in the province.

Ambassador Austria and Premier Kinew discussed the possibility of establishing direct flights to the Philippines as well as the upcoming Team Canada Trade Mission to the Philippines. The Premier conveyed his intention to visit the Philippines in the near future.

The Ambassador also had separate meetings with Lieutenant Governor Anita R. Neville and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham. The Ambassador discussed the Filipino diaspora in Manitoba and the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada this year. As Manila and Winnipeg are sister cities, the Ambassador and Mayor Gillingham talked about ways to reinvigorate the sister city relationship.

Ambassador Austria was accompanied by Consul General Angelica Escalona, Deputy Head of Mission Myca Magnolia Fischer, Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague and Honorary Consul Ronaldo Opina during the meetings. END

Mayor Scott Gillingham and Ambassador Austria during their meeting at the Winnipeg City Hall

(Left to right) Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague, Deputy Head of Mission Myca Magnolia Fischer, Consul General Angelica Escalona, Ambassador Austria, Lieutenant Governor Anita Neville and Honorary Consul Ronaldo Opina.

(Left to right) Honorary Consul Opina, Consul General Escalona, Ambassador Austria, Minister Malaya Marcelino and Premier Kinew

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN TORONTO HOLDS ITS FIRST 2024 CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION FOR FILIPINOS IN WINNIPEG

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SSS personnel answer queries and provide guidance to SSS members and pensioners

06-08 April 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto conducted the first of its four consular outreach missions to Winnipeg for this year on 06 – 08 April 2024. The Consulate’s outreach team provided consular services to 885 applicants who availed of services for ePassport and travel document application, notarization of documents, civil registry submission, dual citizenship application and overseas voting registration.

The Migrant Workers Office (MWO)-Toronto and Social Security Services (SSS)-Toronto participated in the three-day consular outreach mission to provide their services to the Filipino community.

A total of 63 former Filipinos were able to reacquire their Filipino citizenship after an oath-taking ceremony. Consul Mary Grace Villamayor shared information about the government’s Bagong Pilipinas campaign to those who reacquired Filipino citizenship.

For the first time, consular outreach clients were able to avail of Post’s ePayment services, which allowed them to pay by credit or debit card. One of the clients remarked, “Salamat at pwede nang hindi cash lang ang pagbabayad. Hindi na ako kailangan maghanap ng ATM.” END

(Left photo) Consulate personnel registers Filipinos for overseas voting (Right photo) Consulate outreach mission clients can now pay using credit or debit card

Former Filipinos in Winnipeg take the oath for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship administered by Consul Mary Grace Villamayor

AMBASSADOR AUSTRIA MEETS WITH FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN MANITOBA, LEADS WREATH LAYING AT RIZAL MONUMENT IN WINNIPEG

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Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria gives her message during the town hall meeting

06-07 April 2024, Winnipeg – Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita S. Austria held multiple meetings with the Filipino community (Filcom) from 06 to 07 April 2024 as part of her official visit to Manitoba. It was her first visit to Manitoba as Philippine Ambassador to Canada.

The Ambassador had a town hall meeting with different Filipino community organizations at the Holiday Inn Winnipeg. Among the matters discussed were the Filcom’s petition for a career Philippine Consulate in Manitoba, the need to engage Filipinos living in rural areas of the province, and the promotion of Philippine culture and local Filipino businesses.

Ambassador Austria encouraged the Filcom to be more active in the public policy and decision-making processes in their respective communities and in advocating for the interests of Filipinos. The Ambassador also encouraged the Filcom to organize activities to mark the 75th anniversary of Philippines-Canada diplomatic relations this year.

The Ambassador held separate meetings with a group of Filipino nurses and a group of Filipino international students. The discussions with the nurses centered on credentials recognition while discussions with the international students focused on their status given the recent changes in the immigration policies of Canada.

Ambassador Austria was joined by Consul General Angelica Escalona, Deputy Head of Mission Myca Magnolia Fischer, Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague, Honorary Consul Ronaldo Opina, Welfare Officer Benny Reyes and SSS Representative Lucille Simbol during the meetings.

On 06 April, the Ambassador had the opportunity to meet Dr. Rey Pagtakhan, recognized as a trailblazer for being the first Filipino Canadian elected to the House of Commons and appointed to several Cabinet positions. Dr. Pagtakhan shared his personal migration story and path into politics and expressed his readiness to help in planning activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Philippines-Canada diplomatic relations.

The Ambassador led a wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal monument in Winnipeg with the Knights of Rizal on 07 April. Member of Parliament (Winnipeg North) Kevin Lamoureux and Member of Legislative Assembly (Tyndall Park) Cindy Lamourex also attended the ceremony.

According to Canada’s 2021 Census, Manitoba has the highest proportion of Filipinos on a per capita basis, with Filipinos comprising 6.78% or 90,045 of the provincial population of 1,342,153. END

A FILCOM leader asks a question during the town hall meeting.

Meeting with Filipino Nurses

Meeting with Filipino International Students

Meeting with Dr. Rey Pagtakhan (seated, second from right)

Wreath Laying at the Rizal Monument in Winnipeg with MP Kevin Lamoureux (5th from right) and MLA Cindy Lamoureux (4th from left) and the Knights of Rizal

FILIPINO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CONVENTION IN ONTARIO

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SSS KAPIHAN SA KONSULADO

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NOTICE OF RERB HEARING - APRIL 2024

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COOKING DEMO HIGHLIGHTS TORONTO LAUNCH OF 3RD FILIPINO RESTAURANT MONTH IN CANADA (FRMC)

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George Brown College students listening to the video message of Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria for the FRMC and the Filipino Food Month

27 March 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto officially launched the 3rd Filipino Restaurant Month in Canada (FRMC) in Toronto through a cooking demonstration at the George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts Demonstration Lab on 27 March 2024.

The cooking demonstration was conducted by the Filipino-Canadian chefs of the two FRMC participating restaurants in Toronto – Chef Daniel Cancino of Mineral and Chef Francis Bermejo of Mother Tongue. The two chefs showed a packed audience of 50 students and Toronto-based Filipino media how to make their specialty dishes – Turbot Sinigang and Kalamansi Cheesecake in the case of Chef Cancino, and Fiery Filipino-style Slaw in the case of Chef Bermejo.

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of Philippines-Canada relations, the Consulate highlighted these two fusion restaurants whose Filipino-Canadian chefs are known for their creative ways of combining Filipino and Canadian elements in their menus.

Chef Cancino’s Turbot Sinigang uses Quebec sea buckthorn as a souring agent for his sinigang stock. He emphasized that sinigang has to be sour and noted that his version is as sour as the one prepared by his family. He also introduced his Kalamansi Cheesecake that uses a base inspired by polvoron, a Filipino snack made of powdered milk.

(Left) Mineral’s Chef Daniel Cancino plating Turbot Sinigang (Right) Chef Cancino’s Kalamansi Cheesecake

Chef Bermejo noted that his Fiery Filipino-style Slaw was inspired by a snack he often had as a child growing up in the Philippines: green mangoes and bagoong. He explained that Filipino bagoong is made of salted shrimp paste which brings an umami flavor to the dish.

(Left) Mother Tongue’s Chef Francis Bermejo adding finishing touches to his Fiery Filipino-style Slaw (Right) Consul General Angelica Escalona thanking the two chefs for their participation

The program included the showing of the FRMC video message of Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria, welcome remarks by Consul General Angelica Escalona and closing remarks of George Brown College’s Senior Manager for Food and Beverage and Special Events Eoghan Banks.

There are many Filipino students enrolled in George Brown College. Chef Cancino was a graduate of George Brown’s culinary program in 2009. The Consulate and George Brown College previously collaborated on projects that featured Philippine cuisine, providing an opportunity for George Brown students to learn about the cuisine of one of the communities that make up Canada’s culturally diverse society.

There were plenty of questions for the chefs in the Q&A as well as positive feedback from the students. Two of the students shared that the demos were “eye-opening” as they realized for the first time the possibilities of making use of ingredients found locally in Canada in cooking Filipino food recipes. END

(Left to right) Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate, Consul General Angelica Escalona, George Brown Senior Manager for Food and Beverage and Special Events Eoghan Banks, Chef Francis Bermejo, Chef Daniel Cancino, Cultural Officer Maricel Samonte and Consul Mary Grace Villamayor