Sad times, good times and hopeful for a better year

p.e.n Yearend Report
Sad times, good times and hopeful for a better year

Filipinos have seen some ups and downs in 2013 but still managed to survive in this snow cold and yet welcoming Canada.

Canada-born citizens would sometimes ask why would Filipinos leave their sunshiny country and brave the winter cold province of Alberta or Canada, for that matter.

The answer is simple. Like millions of immigrants from other countries, Filipinos, also fondly called Pinoys, leave their land of birth to seek for greener pastures, so to speak, even if they see snow white covered lands most of the time of the year.

The province of Alberta, known as Canada’s economic engine, has attracted thousands of skilled workers because of the oil sands or black gold like a retiring Roque Yu who came to work as an engineer.

Never mind if it is not 30 or 33 degrees Celsius, Roque has braved the below zero temperatures in the last four decades and in fact, has adjusted to the weather that it does not bother him anymore.

Young families of Dale Seranas, Bado Lagmay and Ernie Navarro started from scratch and managed to find work to support their growing families in Edmonton.

The same experience also for Joseph Sumalinog who first settled in Vancouver, then decided to relocate his young family in Edmonton.

These hard-working head of their families are so thankful that this welcoming country has accepted them and gave them a chance to give their children a chance to a better life, if not, the best life that they will ever have.

Just go to a Tim Horton’s and chances are, you can meet a Pinoy, either working there or enjoying a cup of coffee. Most of them are Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) who hope of becoming a Permanent Resident (PR) and eventually a citizen one day.

But some TFWs are not too lucky. CBC reported the death of four Filipino workers in a vehicular accident two years ago. “They are the breadwinners,” Julie Kallal of the Council of Edmonton Filipino Communities was quoted telling the CBC. “They are the ones who can make a difference in the lifestyle of their families. Now think about it. They are now going to have funerals.”

In October this year, news reports flashed too with two Filipino workers becoming victims of senseless crimes.

Despite the tragedies, Filipino community members came together to console and help each other.

The same kind of unity was seen when typhoon Haiyan hit central Visayas in November rendering thousands homeless, without food and water and sadly, killing dear family members.

Filipinos from all parts of Canada dug deep into their pockets to help in raising funds for the relief effort. Canada responded too with relief funds pouring in to the typhoon-hit island plus matching the donations made by individual Canadians.

But Pinoys sported big smiles too because of the crowning of Mutya Datul as Miss Supranational in Belarus, Megan Young as Miss World in Indonesia, Bea Rose Santiago as Miss International in Tokyo and Angeli Gomez as Miss Tourism International in Malaysia.

And to top it all, Manny Pacquiao’s win over Brandon Rios in Macau for the WBO International Welterweight title that brought bigger smiles to all Pinoys especially the typhoon victims. Even for just a day, the typhoon-devastated Pinoys sported a smile, again, even for just a day.

In the recent Edmonton Elections, four Filipinos threw their hats in local politics, gunning for Council seats but lost. One Pinay joined the mayoralty race but experienced the same fate.

Concerts were organized by Filipinos that brought Filipino singers and actresses in Edmonton to the delight of their countrymen. It felt like home again.

Filipino organizations like Migrante Alberta and Kabisig Society organized various events by teaching and guiding their countrymen on what to do best while working in Alberta Province. The Edmonton Catholic Society, Knights of Columbus and other groups have also played vital roles in helping others become better Filipino-Canadians.

Hard-working and prayerful Pinoys closed another year and now look forward to a fruitful New Year, hopeful that times will be better for them and their families.

May we all have a productive, peaceful 2014 and may the Almighty continue to protect and bless us all! (pinoy edmonton news)