Filipino-Edmontonians honor the late Sen.Enverga

 

EDMONTON — Filipino-Edmontonians here have gathered for a Memorial Service for the late Filipino-Canadian Senator Tobias “Jun” Enverga Jr., last night, at the St.Andrew Catholic Parish.

Leaders and representatives from the organizing Quezonian Edmonton Club, Duterte Volunteers Alberta Canada, Couples for Christ Edmonton, Dabawenyos Cultural Assistance Society, Alberta Filipino Journal, Triskelion Alumni Canada, Congress of Philippine Associations in Alberta, Council of Edmonton Filipino Associations, Filipino Senior Citizens Association and newly-formed Philippine Business Society of Alberta attended the mass to also honor the memory and remember the valuable contributions of the late Senator to Canada and the Filipino community.

Eloisa Lau of the Filipino Senior Citizens Association remembered they had a lively conversation with Senator Enverga and his wife Rosemer during their visit here last October 21 to attend the seniors’ event. “We are saddened by his sudden passing and we are expressing our condolences to his wife Rosemer, the children and relatives,” she said.

Senator Enverga, the first Senator of Filipino descent, died last November 16 while on a parliamentary visit to Colombia.

“We are conveying our deepest sympathies to the Enverga family,” said Jose “Jun” Angeles Jr., publisher of the Journal, a Filipino newspaper based here.

Angeles thanked the St.Andrew Parish staff and the Filipino community for attending the memorial service.

Businessman Payman Parseyan, a staunch supporter of Filipino community events, also attended the special mass and expressed deepest condolences to the Enverga family.

“Nakikiramay po kami sa buong pamilya,” said Kris Salumbides, who represented Quality Sleep Care, Alberta Medical Supplies and Medicus Family Clinic.

Lawyer Joseph Angeles and Bayani Alcantara of the Philippine Business Society of Alberta also joined the event.

Atty.Angeles said he hopes that one day there will be another member of the Senate of Canada from the Filipino community.

Enverga was a project manager for the Bank of Montreal, established the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation Inc., elected to the Toronto Catholic District School Board before appointed to the Senate in 2012.

“We will dearly miss him,” said Benjie Lindo, chair of the Duterte Volunteers Alberta Canada.(p.e.n.)