2021 TOP 42 NEWS IN ONTARIO FILIPINO- CANADIAN COMMUNITY

 
By Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired
Toronto-Canada
December 30, 2021
 




It's time anew to review and recollect the significant news and events in Ontario in 2021. Due to the pandemic crisis situation, however, the past year is considered to be the year of  4 Filipino-Canadian women winners and "thousand zooms", that is, "virtual here, virtual there" celebrations and commemorations! Here is the chronicle of salient events past, my 5th annual list of main happenings in 2021.

JANUARY

12: Due to the surge of new infections, Premier Ford issued a second declaration of emergency with additional stay-at-home orders, including the reduction of outdoor gatherings and a reduction of hours for non-essential businesses. These new restrictions began on January 14 and included students not to return to in-person classes until Feb. 10, 2021.

FEBRUARY

14: Rogers Media premiered "Second Jen" season 3, six episodes on OMNI TV, starring Fil-Can Jennifer Monteloyola and Samantha Wan with an Asian cast.

19: Dr. Francisco "Kiko" Portugal, 69, a well-known community leader in Toronto who was the Past PIDC president and First FCT president, passed away.

24: Ontario announced a tuition-free accelerated Personal Support Worker training program being offered at all 24 publicly-assisted colleges in the province, beginning April 2021.

MARCH

13: Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario, an organization of 20 Asian-Canadian associations, celebrated "First Asian Cultural & Food Festival".

16: PH500 QJCP " Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines, with its theme "Gifted to Give", celebrated 8-day events until April 3, 2021.



19: The Government of Canada detected a 4th COVID-19 variant of concerns, "Delta" in addition to the other 3 variants( Alpha "Beta", and "Gamma") earlier designated on December 20, 2020.

APRIL

14: Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, then Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, announced an innovative pathway to permanent residence for over 90,000 essential workers and international graduates who are actively contributing to Canada’s economy, beginning May 6, 2021, until November 5, 2021.

MAY

3: The Federal government issued the policy to facilitate the granting of permanent residence for caregivers who applied under the Home Child Care Provider Class in 2020 due to processing-pandemic delay.

20: Bill 217, "Filipino Heritage Month Act, 2021" in Ontario, introduced on October 20, 2020, by MPP for Scarborough Southwest Doly Begum, received Royal Assent.

JUNE

12: The Philippine Consulate General- Sentro Rizal celebrated the 123rd Philippine Independence Day, Filipino Heritage Day, & Philippine Quincentennial Commemorations.

25: "Filipino Heritage Month in Don Valley West ", a virtual celebration sponsored by Member of Parliament for Don Valley West Rob Oliphant.

26: Philippine Legacy and Cultural Alliance (PLACA), TFC & MYX presented "All for One: Celebrating Unity in Diversity" virtual celebration.

27: The Filipino Heritage Heritage Council of Canada (FHCC) presented a "Canadian Multiculturalism Day" show via OMNI TV Filipino Edition across Canada.

30: Malaya Canada and Philippine Advancement Through Arts & Culture(PATAC) held the "Kasaysayan, Naratibo at Musika" online event.

JULY

17: "Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza 2021 Virtual Saya" conducted by MCBN Group and Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan at MCBN Centre, Thornhill.

AUGUST

21: Two men were found guilty of the first-degree murder in May 2018 of a Fil-Can woman, nurse Rhoderie Estrada.

22: Four Fil-Can students in Ontario, namely Kathryn Carandang, John Lennard Dulin, Chloe Panganiban & Angelica Kaylee D. Tait, received the yearly FCT- Filipino Centre Toronto-Rosalinda C. Javier "Outstanding Student Awards of the Year-2020".

27: Several Fil-Can community organizations and community leaders received the "2021 Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines" awards handed out by the Philippine Consulate General-Sentro Rizal at St. Michael's Cathedral-Basilica in Toronto.

SEPTEMBER

6: The National Basketball Training Centre ( NBTC) announced that the "NBTC Basketball Global Games League" is to be held in Canada in July 2022.

20: Rechie Valdez was elected the first Filipino- Canadian Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Streetsville; 6 other Fil-Can MP Candidates lost: Greens Elvira Caputolan(Don Valley West, ON) and Phil De Luna(Toronto-St. Paul's, ON), Liberals Elizabeth R. Quinto(Oxford County, ON), Virginia Austria-Bremner(Vancouver-Kingsway, BC) and Paul Ong(Winnipeg Centre-MB), and NDP's 'Naden  Abenes(Vancouver-Quadra, BC).



26:MP Rechie Valdez met with Fil-Can community organization leaders at the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre(KCCC) in Mississauga, Ontario.

OCTOBER

10: Hosted by the Filipino Centre Toronto in Scarborough, Ontario, first Filipina MP Rechie Valdez met with Toronto Filipino-Canadians

23: Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada( FFDT) organized a "Walkathon Fundraising Event" at Riverwood Trail, Mississauga.

NOVEMBER

1: The Association of Filpino Canadian Accountants(AFCA) announced its 2021 Student Accountancy Scholarship Competition with 2 financial grants.

7: Montrealer Stephanie Valenzuela made history by being elected First Filipina Councillor in the Darlington district of the City of Montreal, Quebec.



16: Heber Bartolome, Pinoy singer, songwriter, painter, and college teacher of "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" fame, a frequent Toronto performer, passed away in the Philippines.

20: The Philippine Teachers Association of Canada held its "2021 International Teachers Virtual Conference" with Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs).



21: Philippine "pre-election fever" started in the GTA with community-focused rallies and motorcades by supporters of Philippine presidential candidates

27: Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) held its 2021 "Mabuhay Philippines Festival Gala" at Xinlix Auditorium in Markam, Ontario.

28: The Filipino Heritage Council of Canada (FHCC) elected its Board directors and executive officers for the 2021-2023 term.

28: PIDC-MPF conducted its "First Canada-wide Fil-Can Songwriting Grand Finals Contest" at Xinlix Auditorium in Markham, Ontario.

29: A new COVID-19 variant of concern known as "Omicron", according to WHO, was detected in Alberta, Canada.

30: The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship & Multiculturalism and the Philippine Consulate General-Sentro Rizal held a "Bonifacio Day" celebration at KCCC, Mississauga, Ontario.

DECEMBER

2: Ontario Bill 27, "Working for Workers Act, 2021" received Royal Assent, amending "Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006" on "regulations respecting English Language proficiency testing requirements......and prohibition from including Canadian experience requirements for registration".

10: "Filipino Christmas on the Hill", a virtual celebration with Members of Parliament, and Filipino community leaders from across Canada hosted by M.P. Rechie Valdez, and M.P. Kevin Lamoureux.

11:The Filipino Centre Toronto( FCT) celebrated the Christmas holiday and food-donation drive with the FCT Board members, staff and volunteers.

15: Erika Casupanan, 32, born in the Philippines, raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario won the 41st season of "Survivors", TV's reality show. winning a US$1M; the first Canadian to win the show and the first one of Filipino descent to grab the title.



17: Premier Ford announced "circuit-breaker" restrictions of Ontario’s half capacity limits at all retail outlets, grocery stores and pharmacies, shopping malls, and personal care services,( barbershops, hairdressers and nail salons). Indoor social gathering limit will be cut from 25 people to 10, and outdoors from 100 to 25, with 50 per cent indoor capacity limits for all restaurants and bars.

20: The Food Price Report from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab that, driven by climate change and supply chain disruptions, food prices will rise at an even faster pace in 2022 between five and seven per cent overall.

28:Tennis player Leylah Annie Fernandez, born in Quebec, Canada of Ecuadorian- Filipino parentage, named The Canadian Press "2021 Female Athlete of the Year".



30: The Order of the Knights of Rizal-Canada Region commemorated virtually the 125th death anniversary of Dr. Jose P.Rizal ,  the Philippine's foremost national hero.