Nine Fantastic FilCans File for Elective Posts in the Greater Toronto Area

By Tony A.San Juan, OCT.
Toronto-Canada
July 17, 2018
 


The dust has barely settled and the smoke had just snapped out, as they said,  in the recently - held June 7th 2018 Ontario provincial election and now, 9 courageous but ambitious Filipino Canadians  have entered the political arena for the coming city civic elections in Canada's premier province.



The fantastic nine, as reported, have declared their respective candidacies for civic positions  in the scheduled October 22nd municipal election in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario.

Comparatively, the number of candidates is fewer this time than in the 2014 election, as 14 FilCans ran for municipal posts then.

They are Benjamin Abis, Randy Bucao, Alex Chiu, Paulina Corpuz, Marlene Mogado, Miles Roque, Luz Del Rosario, Rowena Santos , and Garry Tanuan.  In terms of elective civic  posts, of the nine candidates, six are seeking for Councillor position and three are for School Board Trustees.  Thus, out of the “Lucky 9” politicians, three are re-electionists, four are new nominees while two are come-backing candidates.Meeting the challenges, Philippine-educated lawyer Benjamin Abis is vying for Trustee of Etobicoke’s Ward 1 of the Toronto Catholic District School Board- TCDSB.  Randolf “Randy" Bucao, a Philippine-trained mechanical engineer and telecom cabling expert in Canada is seeking the Councilor position  for Toronto’s Ward 40 – Scarborough Centre area.



Long-serving Councillor Alex Chiu is going for his 11th term as Markham alderman for Ward 8, while Paulina Corpuz , a community leader and social-cause advocate,has declared her candidacy for Councillor in Toronto’s Ward 39. Marlene Mogado, 3-term YCDSB Trustee is stepping up to the next level to become a city councillor for Markham’s Ward 5. Second generation FilCan Miles Roque is running for Ward 1 Councillor in the City of Mississauga. Twice-elected Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board Trustee Luz Del Rosario is going for her reelection in Wards 6 and 11. A former Toronto Council candidate in 2006, Rowena Santos will do her best to bag the Wards 1 and 5 Councillor post in Brampton. After serving faithfully for almost two terms, Garry Tanuan is seeking reelection as TCDSB Trustee for Scarborough’s Ward 8.



In respect of political candidacy experience, Bucao, Corpuz and Santos are taking their “second chances”….. with Randy Bucao as a former Council candidate for York Centre,  and Paulina  Corpuz for TCDSB trustee candidate in the 2014 municipal election and Rowena Santos for Toronto Councillor in 2006. This is the first attempt for Catholic community leader Ben Abis to get into school board politics while Roque and Mogado  are vying for Councillor for the first time too. Running for reelection are Markham Councillor Alex Chiu and Dufferin and Toronto Catholic school board trustees Luz Del Rosario and Garry Tanuan, respectively.

All the FilCan political candidates are well- qualified, have solid professional backgrounds & experience and strong advocacy & volunteer service in their communities, as well. They have demonstrated admirable people skills and divergent foci in working towards helping and organizing initiatives for the "common good". These determined candidates have organized their own campaign teams and seeking still for more volunteers.

When asked, the  9 Pinoys  are hoping that if elected each of them pledge to uphold their political platform, goals & aspirations, to engage & advocate for local issues , and to serve as the relevant  voice for their respective constituencies as well as the "long voiceless members" of the ever- growing Filipino Canadian community. Let us all support our own kababayan- candidates "for a better tomorrow" in the very discriminating FilCan community. ( Tony A. San Juan)