Global Bayaning Pilipino Awards - Canada 2012

INSTITUTION CATEGORY

Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts & Culture (Country Winner)

• Toronto, Canada

For children of immigrants, tracing their roots as Filipinos is extremely important in finding their identity.  This is the issue that Kapisanan Phiippine Centre for Arts and Culture (Kapisanan) whihes to address.

Kapisanan identified two types of youth migrants that they intend to help: the first one are youths who migrated with their parents who find it hard to cope living in a new country; the second type are the youths who were born in Canada and are confused about their identity, knowing very little or nothing about their Filipino roots.

To educate the youth about our heritage, Kapisanan used non-traditional means like photography, visual arts, drama and dance.  They conducted art workshops, mentorship and cultural programs to raise awareness about our culture.  Teaching Filipino history was made more unconventional and interesting with the use of art-based methods such as visual arts, literature, theater, dance and songs.

The organization has diverse programs using contemporary media that promote Filipino values and culture.  Programs like Poetry as Second Language (PSL) explores traditional Filipino poetry through a 4-week workshop.  Events like Kultura Filipino Arts Festival, are also conducted yearly.  These feature outdoor live music, poetry performances and an arts and craft market that sells goods made by Filipino-Canadian artists.

They also teach conversational Filipino language wherein teaching techniques include role-plays, games, songs and writing exercises.  For these young Filipinos, learning the native tongue is a significant aspect of tracing their heritage.

Kapisanan believes that "without that acknowledgement of where we came from, and the special gift that is our birthright, we can never experience wholeness, empowerment and self-actualization."  This why they strive to create avenues for the Filipino-Canadian youth to explore and learn about being a true Filipino.

Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (Country Finalist)

• Ontario, Canada

Unifying Filipinos in the Greater Toronto Area can be considered the greatest contribution of the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC).  Through fund-raising and donations, they were able to fulfill their long time dream of having a community center owned and ran by Filipinos.  This center became their refuge - a home away from home, where they celebrate their roots, history and enrich their culture and heritage.

KCCC provides programs to Filipinos of all ages such as line dancing for fitness, heritage classes (Filipino language), inter-generational rondalla, and lectures and workshops on various issues and topics.  Members of the community center also assist our kababayans in finding jobs and processing documents such as health cards, social insurance numbers and the like.  KCCC also serves as a crisis center whenever there are calamities in the Philippines, standing at the front line organizing relief efforts to help victims of calamities.

The Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre proves that through Filipinos' collective efforts, we can build a strong community outside our country.

The Multicultural Helping House Society (Country Finalist)

• Richmond BC, Canada

Living in a foreign country is not easy.  For decades, Filipinos have been facing this challenge in the hopes of finding better opportunities.  With organizations like the Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS), coping in a new environment and a new country becomes easier.

MHHS has provided assistance to thousands of new immigrants by addressing needs such as settlement, employment, social services, skills enhancement, respite housing, legal assistance and educations services.  Through the years, MHHS has been providing immediate assistance to new migrants in crisis and those who are disadvantaged because of language, employment or social isolation.  Its mission is "to help newcomers succeed in Canada and for immigrants of all cultural backgrounds integrate successfully into the Canadian society."

Loneliness is probably the biggest hurdle our overseas Filipinos need to overcome.  But Filipinos, wherever they are, will come together to help their kababayans so that they would not need to face their woes alone.