October 1 -15, 2018
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
On Tuesday last week, October
9, the publisher of this newspaper
sponsored a Candidates’ Forum
consisting of only Filipino Canadian
aspirants. Its Facebook announcement
emblazons the words: “Meet Our
Filipino Canadian Candidates”. Even
more significantly, it blares: “Have a
Voice on October 20, 2018 municipal
elections” … and ends emphatically
with: “IT’S TIME!!!
The power of this message
struck me. The audacity of inviting
only Filipino Canadian candidate
fascinated me. Even more, the shout
of “IT’S TIME!!!” jolted me.
Why? In this era of inclusiveness,
why carve people out, I thought.
What is wrong with a stranger’s voice
vicariously spoken on our behalf?
What is this event therefore? Is this a
stroke of genius or an act of folly?
I have thought about this since and
concluded that, yes, indeed, this event
was not only inspired, but necessary.
For so many years, the Fil-
Can community has not sought
representation in the municipal
governments through persons that
have an in-born empathy for our lot.
We were content to be represented
by those possessing only a generic
sympathy for our condition but could
not possibly have had a “lived-out”
Fil-Can immigration experience. We
have listened to candidates who trot
out their stories as immigrants, but
which, regardless of how triumphant,
only approximate and not directly point
to our own unique ethnic saga. We
are among the most recent group of
A case for the preferential choice of a “Kababayan”
immigrants,
so
have
no
built-
up
system
of social support. We are majority
University or College graduates, but
have not had our academic credentials
accepted. We are, by not being in
the professions for which we have
prepared for, suffering from lower
average income relative to others.
The municipal elections, admittedly,
will not address these three. Provincial
and Federal Politics will. However,
municipal elections can still address
several pressing issues that are the
direct offshoots of our immigration
history being recent and our unique
condition
regarding
livelihood
opportunities.
Polls show that 50% of the voters
make affordable housing the most
pressing issue.
Being the latest
immigrant group to arrive, we did
not have the opportunity to buy
houses or rent “low”. It is therefore
a sure thing that even more than
50%, I dare say 100% of us, will have
affordable housing as a pressing
issue. Transportation will also be high
on the list, because, with affordable
housing being found only outside
of every cities’ centre, we need a
fast, cheap and dependable way to
commute. This we find wanting.
Because our educational credentials
are not accepted, many would seek
to become small entrepreneurs.
Regulations, taxation, permits and
licensing will be key issues for many
of us because they have been found
difficult to hurdle or have proven to be
heavy burdens. Education will also be
close to our heart. Our culture and
tradition value education and our
young population demands it.
With Fil-Can’s in elected positions,
we will surely have a ready ear to hear
our grievances. We will have the best
channels to facilitate meaningful and
rational solutions.
But even more radically, I also offer
this additional boon to having Fil-Cans
as leaders. That is the “HEART”. As
a people, we do have our worse traits.
However, we do have exemplary traits
that shine and which even others
notice. I see us being naturally
predisposed to “walk the extra mile”,
to be patient and to be ready to put
ourselves in another’s shoes.
Matulungin, Matiyaga at
Nakikiisa.
I am convinced that we
able to express LOVE very
easily and our love is not
merely a liking towards a
person but a genuineness
to desire the good of that
other.
That is why, a Fil-Can with
enough acumen to lead and
with adequate knowledge to
govern should always be our
preference. “IT” S TIME!!!”
…indeed.
The Fil Can candidates
who participated in the
event and the office they are
The right way ... from page 7
empathic machines that cannot
completely measure intent without a
human element.
To many, the 25 percent threshold
debate was just one part of the
electoral protest drama brought
about by the former senator’s protest.
There were also many allegations of
cheating hurled at the COMELEC and
the technology provider Smartmatic—
from unauthorized transmissions to
vote manipulation and to revisions on
the source code.
All of these allegations were
answered when Smartmatic brought
up one crucial question: did the
results match the election returns?
The answer is yes, considering that
among the 2.7 million election
returns printed during the process,
not a single one is different from the
other. This is due to the fact that the
system counts at multiple levels, from
precinct to national canvassing—and
all differences from each phase of the
counting can easily be caught if there
Ang Mahal Kong (ka)Bayan
Guest Writer
By Dodie Lucas
LOCAL NEWS
was a single different electoral return.
There were even random manual
audits done by the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) during the elections,
and all the results matched.
Throughout the past decade, Kape
Kesada Art Gallery and the Laguna
Artists Guild, founded and led by
Dr. Nilo Valdecantos, have been
catalysts in helping less fortunate
communities. Some of the major
works of the combined efforts of
the two organizations include fund
raising exhibit “Banhay Kulay” at
the University of Asia and the Pacific
back in 2009 in order to support the
striving carvers and artists of Paete,
Laguna. It was followed by a charity
exhibit for those who are affected by
Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Its most
recent exhibit back in 2017 entitled
“Sinaunang Sayaw at Sining,” in
partnership with Baile Foundation and
Shangri-La Plaza, sought to preserve
and promote Filipino culture through
dance research and the arts.
(mb.com)
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
seeking are:
Hector Bremner - Vancouver Mayor.
Virginia, his dear wife, is a Fil-Can
Jojo Quimpo - Vancouver Council
Dr. Neneng Galanto - Surrey
Council
Tommy Raguero Jr. - Coquitlam
Council
Rod Belleza - Richmond School
board
Cyrus Sy - New Westminster School
board
lsabelo Evangelista - North Van
School board
Joseph Muego – Delta School
Board