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PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY August 1 - 15, 2016
HEADLINE
MHHS teams up with CFO for
Pre-departure Orientation
Rosette Correa with Mike Cayetano
The
Multi-cultural
Helping
House Society (MHHS) offers an
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and
Citizenship Canada) service in the
Philippines through its Pre-Arrival
Program called the Pathways
Program. This
IRCC-funded
program is aimed at helping new
immigrants settle successfully in
Canada.
Filipino emigrants or
those leaving the country to settle
permanently abroad are required
to register with the Commission
on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), and
attend the Pre-Departure Orientation
Seminar (PDOS) or Peer Counselling
Session. Topics discussed include
travel regulations, immigration
procedures, cultural differences,
settlement concerns, employment
and social security concerns, and
rights and obligations of Filipino
migrants.
Recently, MHHS signed a
Memorandum of Understanding
with CFO last Aug 16, 2016 to allow
MHHS to provide the PDOS services
in their Manila Office. CFO officers
who attended the signing were Maria
Regina Galias, Interim Officer-in
Charge; Ivy Miravalles, Officer-inCharge of the Migrant Integration
and Education Division; and Paul
Vincent Uy Avecilla, Senior Emigrant
Officer of the Migrant Integration
and Education Division. The MHHS
Officers attending signing were
Michael Cayetano Vice President,
and Connie Catanes, Client Assessor
of the Pre-Departure Program.
The Pre-Departure Orientation
Seminars (PDOS) provided by the
Commission of Filipino Overseas
are now two-fold. First part of the
PDOS seminar is facilitated by the
Commission of Filipino Overseas
which entails, among others,
include
• Preparation for your departure
from the Philippines.
•What documents will you
require
•Transition from a Filipino
resident to a Permanent Resident of
Canada
•What settlement challenges will
you face in Canada
•What help can you still receive
from the Philippine government
through the Philippine Embassy in
Canada.
The second part of the seminar
is an extension of the first part and
is facilitated by the MHHS through
its Pre-Departure Team in the
Philippines.
The topics include
important points before departure
and upon arrival; a brief overview
of Canada; sources of information
and assistance; rights and freedom;
Canadian law and legal practices;
public law and civil law courts;
important documents such as the
SIN and PR cards; employment
and income; education; housing;
healthcare ; money and finances;
community connections
Mike Cayetano, Vice President
of the MHHS adds that the services
they provide also include three
major services include information
and orientation; employment related
services and needs assessment and
referral.
The MHHS is currently
celebrating its 20th anniversary of
serving the multicultural community
in Canada.
The community is
invited to attend the month-long
celebrations which includes the
MHHS Fun Run and Sports Festival
at the Boys and Girls Club on
Victoria Drive on August 20; the
MHHS Job Fair at the MHHS Office
on August 19; the Multicultural
Fiesta on August 27 at the St
Patrick’s School Hall; and the MHHS
Seniors Anniversary Celebration at
the Kensington Community Centre
on August 27. Please check the
website www.helpinghouse.ca.
MHHS continues to serve the
Filipinos living in Canada through its
Pathways to Canada pre-departure
program
(Philippine-based),
its MHHS Settlement Program
(Canada-based),
its
Seniors
Program, its Youth Program, and
its Caregiver Program. You may
also visit the website of Pathways to
Ca