The Featineans Association of Toronto

Toronto Featineans Hold Spring-to-Summer Fundraiser

By: Tony A. San Juan, OCT
Ontario-Canada
June 9, 2015



In solid commitment and earnest prosecution of its 15-year old scholarship program and other community projects, The Featineans Association of Toronto ( TFAT) held successfully a welcome- to- summer dinner dance on June 6, 2015 at Malvern Community Centre in Scarborough, Toronto.

The  university- based organization in the GTA, founded in 1989, is composed of alumni and former students, faculty members and employees of FEATI University, Manila , Philippines. Attended by more than 250 guests, friends, family members and supporters, the event was well-coordinated by president Oliver Rey with apt assistance from vice presidents Moises Ga and Max Recaido. Likewise, co-founders Annie & Julio Buiza, Tirso Balitian and Tony A. San Juan have provided encouragement and guidance to all the  hard-working officers and members.

The notable organizations  in the FilCan community who showed their  support were the Knights of Columbus, Scarborough Ontario Seniors Association , Vaughan Seniors Association, and Negrense Association. Among the Featineans in attendance were:  Tirso Balitian, Ed & Christie Baruela, Julio & Annie Buiza, Ramon Cespedes, Ramon Estares, Rose Flores, Moises Ga, Tony Gatongay, Greg & Fanny Gravador, Lito & Candy Martin, Virgie Maruso, Rudy Olay, Rudy & Zenaida Ortiz, Max & Nenita Recaido, Oliver & Darlene Rey, Tony & Joy San Juan and Luz Sider.
 
Two popular community dance groups, namely: the 18 - member Negrense Dance Troupe tutelaged by Nisa Aliko, and the Annabelle Chipongian - led Multicultural Dancers, performed and entertained the crowd with delightful dance sequences. 
 

For the past 14 years, TFAT has provided tuition and matriculation fees to seven  poor-but-deserving and qualified beneficiary-graduates. Currently, the Association is supporting 2 entrance scholars at FEATI University and aims to offer bursary grants in school year 2015-2016. Every commencement exercise, it presents a TFAT-FU Academic Excellence Award Certificate along with reasonable cash to its alma mater's most outstanding honour graduates in three categories. Moreover, the Toronto Featineans group  is modestly open  to its commitment and engagement  in humanitarian & benevolent causes especially in the home country. ( T. San Juan).