Oustanding Fil-Canadians
Oustanding Fil-Canadians
Updated 00:06am (Mla time) Dec 21, 2004
By Rina Jimenez-David
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A13 of the December 21, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
CANADIAN Ambassador Peter Sutherland hosted a lunch last week to honor Filipino-Canadians who were among those recognized as outstanding overseas Filipinos by the Philippine government last week.
Honored in rites held last Dec. 15 in Malacañang were Arturo Viola, currently deputy Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the Lake; Alicia Natividad, the first Filipino to be admitted to the Ontario bar; and two cultural groups, the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada and the Panday Tinig Chorale Ensemble.
Born and raised in Santiago, Isabela, Viola emigrated to Canada in 1967 and retired in 1994 from his post at the Niagara-on-the-Lake General Hospital. Unlike most folk whose retirement marks a retreat from most involvements, Viola used his free time to volunteer for various causes and this became the natural springboard for a foray into politics. Well-known and liked, he ran for alderman (councilor) in 1994, winning the highest number of votes which qualified him for the post of deputy Lord Mayor.
In the next elections, Viola won a three-way race for Lord Mayor, becoming the first Asian and Filipino to clinch the post. In 1998, he also accepted the honorary chairmanship of the fundraising committee for the Niagara Regional Native Centre, raising $5 million for the center's self-proficiency drive.
Though he left politics in 2000, Viola continued to be involved in civic affairs, deciding to run for public office again in 2003 and making a comeback as deputy Lord Mayor. In recognition of his "significant contribution to Canada, to [his] community or to [his] fellow Canadians," Viola was conferred the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal last year.
* * *
NATIVIDAD is one of the founders of the Canada Philippines Business Council, which is geared toward promoting trade and economic relations between the Philippines and Canada. Currently the council's president, she has organized business forums, seminars and receptions focusing on economic and trade opportunities in the Philippines. As part of her work with the council, she spearheaded the conduct of business conferences in support of the official state visits of then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1997, and President Macapagal-Arroyo in 2002, as well as visits of other officials from the Philippines.
Aside from her work promoting business and investor relations between Canada and the Philippines, Natividad is also an avowed feminist, devoting her time to volunteer work with women's organizations and to Nelson House, a shelter for women and children survivors of violence.
I also know Alice as the sister of Irene Natividad, who is like her a feminist deeply involved in social and political causes, and who has been quite active in promoting Filipino-American relations, mainly through the Filipino-American Foundation based in Washington, D.C. I guess feminism, civic involvement and ties to the Philippines run in the family!
* * *
COMMENTING on the recognition given the Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble, Ambassador Sutherland noted that "anytime outstanding Filipinos are recognized, we know musical artists have to be among them!"
The Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble is a celebrated Filipino-Canadian choir, whose members are Filipinos based in Montreal and its surrounding suburbs. Though none of the members ever underwent formal training in voice or music, they are all devoted to "refining the art of choral singing," as proclaimed in the choir's name, which combines the Filipino terms panday (craftsman) and tinig (voice).
The choral ensemble was assembled by pianist Editha Fedalizo in 1985 and immediately made a mark in multicultural events and productions such as the Asian Heritage Festival, Chinese Gardens' Summer Festival and Drummondville Choral Festival. Hoping to develop the talents of Filipino-Canadian youth, Panday Tinig also formed Salingsing, a children's choir, in 1991. Panday Tinig has sung for a documentary film for the Canadian National Film Board as well as for an educational CD, an honor that makes all Filipinos in Canada proud. In 2001, the group released a CD recording of Filipino folk songs, "Pinagkawing Himig Pilipino," which is registered and filed in the Canadian National Library. The ensemble has also performed in Carnegie Hall in New York.
* * *
THE FIESTA Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada, based in Toronto, has performed in the Philippines but representatives of the group eagerly agreed with Ambassador Sutherland when he said the embassy should look for means to bring them back again, perhaps together with Panday Tinig, which has yet to perform before a local audience.
Explaining why he decided to host a get-together at his residence, with embassy staff and some media and business people in attendance, the ambassador said it was the least he could do after the Philippine government had honored his countryfolk at a Malacañang reception.
Once again, the awards prove that not only are Filipinos capable of rising to prominence and achievement while living on foreign shores (there were 45 awardees, living in different parts of the world), they are also able to retain their ties to the home country, to use their personal resources to strengthen ties between the Philippines and their adopted countries.
Perhaps we can say that overseas Filipinos, whose wanderlust has brought them to even some of the remotest corners of the globe, are the glue that bind our country to most other nations, proving by their hard work, industry, ability and good nature that Filipinos have much to contribute to the building of their nations, both of birth and of citizenship.
Updated 00:06am (Mla time) Dec 21, 2004
By Rina Jimenez-David
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A13 of the December 21, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
CANADIAN Ambassador Peter Sutherland hosted a lunch last week to honor Filipino-Canadians who were among those recognized as outstanding overseas Filipinos by the Philippine government last week.
Honored in rites held last Dec. 15 in Malacañang were Arturo Viola, currently deputy Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the Lake; Alicia Natividad, the first Filipino to be admitted to the Ontario bar; and two cultural groups, the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada and the Panday Tinig Chorale Ensemble.
Born and raised in Santiago, Isabela, Viola emigrated to Canada in 1967 and retired in 1994 from his post at the Niagara-on-the-Lake General Hospital. Unlike most folk whose retirement marks a retreat from most involvements, Viola used his free time to volunteer for various causes and this became the natural springboard for a foray into politics. Well-known and liked, he ran for alderman (councilor) in 1994, winning the highest number of votes which qualified him for the post of deputy Lord Mayor.
In the next elections, Viola won a three-way race for Lord Mayor, becoming the first Asian and Filipino to clinch the post. In 1998, he also accepted the honorary chairmanship of the fundraising committee for the Niagara Regional Native Centre, raising $5 million for the center's self-proficiency drive.
Though he left politics in 2000, Viola continued to be involved in civic affairs, deciding to run for public office again in 2003 and making a comeback as deputy Lord Mayor. In recognition of his "significant contribution to Canada, to [his] community or to [his] fellow Canadians," Viola was conferred the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal last year.
* * *
NATIVIDAD is one of the founders of the Canada Philippines Business Council, which is geared toward promoting trade and economic relations between the Philippines and Canada. Currently the council's president, she has organized business forums, seminars and receptions focusing on economic and trade opportunities in the Philippines. As part of her work with the council, she spearheaded the conduct of business conferences in support of the official state visits of then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1997, and President Macapagal-Arroyo in 2002, as well as visits of other officials from the Philippines.
Aside from her work promoting business and investor relations between Canada and the Philippines, Natividad is also an avowed feminist, devoting her time to volunteer work with women's organizations and to Nelson House, a shelter for women and children survivors of violence.
I also know Alice as the sister of Irene Natividad, who is like her a feminist deeply involved in social and political causes, and who has been quite active in promoting Filipino-American relations, mainly through the Filipino-American Foundation based in Washington, D.C. I guess feminism, civic involvement and ties to the Philippines run in the family!
* * *
COMMENTING on the recognition given the Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble, Ambassador Sutherland noted that "anytime outstanding Filipinos are recognized, we know musical artists have to be among them!"
The Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble is a celebrated Filipino-Canadian choir, whose members are Filipinos based in Montreal and its surrounding suburbs. Though none of the members ever underwent formal training in voice or music, they are all devoted to "refining the art of choral singing," as proclaimed in the choir's name, which combines the Filipino terms panday (craftsman) and tinig (voice).
The choral ensemble was assembled by pianist Editha Fedalizo in 1985 and immediately made a mark in multicultural events and productions such as the Asian Heritage Festival, Chinese Gardens' Summer Festival and Drummondville Choral Festival. Hoping to develop the talents of Filipino-Canadian youth, Panday Tinig also formed Salingsing, a children's choir, in 1991. Panday Tinig has sung for a documentary film for the Canadian National Film Board as well as for an educational CD, an honor that makes all Filipinos in Canada proud. In 2001, the group released a CD recording of Filipino folk songs, "Pinagkawing Himig Pilipino," which is registered and filed in the Canadian National Library. The ensemble has also performed in Carnegie Hall in New York.
* * *
THE FIESTA Filipina Dance Troupe of Canada, based in Toronto, has performed in the Philippines but representatives of the group eagerly agreed with Ambassador Sutherland when he said the embassy should look for means to bring them back again, perhaps together with Panday Tinig, which has yet to perform before a local audience.
Explaining why he decided to host a get-together at his residence, with embassy staff and some media and business people in attendance, the ambassador said it was the least he could do after the Philippine government had honored his countryfolk at a Malacañang reception.
Once again, the awards prove that not only are Filipinos capable of rising to prominence and achievement while living on foreign shores (there were 45 awardees, living in different parts of the world), they are also able to retain their ties to the home country, to use their personal resources to strengthen ties between the Philippines and their adopted countries.
Perhaps we can say that overseas Filipinos, whose wanderlust has brought them to even some of the remotest corners of the globe, are the glue that bind our country to most other nations, proving by their hard work, industry, ability and good nature that Filipinos have much to contribute to the building of their nations, both of birth and of citizenship.
posted by Dante at 12:06 AM
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