PPCO for a stronger, more proactive, productive Filipino Canadian community

PPCO for a stronger, more proactive, productive Filipino Canadian community

Welcome Address by Rose S. Tijam
PPCO President

Past and present officers and members of esteemed community organizations, birthday celebrants in November, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another event of the Philippine Press Club Ontario – this time, a Christmas Party.

Many of you were with us when we hosted the PPCO Political Forum in September, discussing the political platforms of various political parties and the participation of the Filipino Canadians in the Canadian political milieu. Before that, we had a series of brilliant lawyers who spoke on journalism and freedom of expression. As well, under PPCO immediate past president Hermie Garcia of the prestigious Philippine Reporter, we had presented a series of highly accomplished Filipino Canadians in mainstream television and academic fields. PPCO had presented a lot of community-oriented topics since we were established in 2001.

In Nov. 23, 2009, 36 Filipino journalists were massacred in Mindanao, in what is known as the tragic Ampatuan Massacre. That was 6 years ago last week. To date our unfortunate fellow journalists have not received the justice that they so deserve, in spite of a lot of political noise given them back home and wherever Filipinos around the world domicile. Tonight, in your presence as community leaders and responsible Filipino Canadians, we, members of the press, remind you that we honor their memory. We may be having a Christmas celebration, but we remain cognizant of our fallen comrades in the media. We do not forget them. We want justice for them and their families. May their souls rest in peace.

In the recent Canadian election, the Filipino Canadian community was not able to have a win in political positions. We will double our efforts to do so next time around, with the hope that we will be able to send Filipino Canadian representatives to the provincial and/or federal political positions, considering we are the third largest ethnic population in Ontario. Among others, the Philippine Press Club Ontario will sponsor a series of events to provide an educational campaign to encourage our community to participate more actively in the civic duty of political participation.

Keep in touch with us; join us in our effort to develop a stronger, more proactive, productive Filipino Canadian community.

Mga kababayan, enjoy the peace and spirit of Christmas with us.