Filipino Community & Lifestyle News
Get your ternos and your barong ready: December in Toronto is packed with Filipino events you won’t want to miss. From sizzling Filipino food pop-ups serving lumpia, lechon, and halo-halo-inspired desserts, to cultural nights filled with carols, folk dances, and parol-making, Canada will almost feel like home this holiday season. Just make sure to bundle […]
In the month of June, Filipinos in Canada celebrate Filipino Heritage Month by attending festivals, indulging in halo-halo and BBQ, watching matinee idols perform songs from yesteryears, and celebrating our history and culture. How did this special month start? It all began with Paulina Corpuz from Toronto who asked lots of people to sign a […]
If you think you can knock door to door in the Philippines wearing your Halloween costume and expect treats, well, you’re in for tricks instead. (You may get a handful of rice.) Most Filipinos can’t afford to give out candy, or even buy costumes to wear. And forget about carving pumpkins, either. We have kalabasa […]
A ballerina can possibly twist an ankle while doing a pirouette, a belly dancer may put out her hip while undulating to Middle Eastern music, or a wanna-be Michael Jackson may trip backwards while moon-walking. Yes, dancing poses a hazard especially to those with two left feet, but Filipino dancers have brought the bar (and […]
One of the best ways Filipino-Canadians can feel connected to their homeland and culture is through food. Shine Asuncion, founder of Kain Tayo! (let’s eat), a 55,000-member Facebook food group, organized Merienda Cena, a 10-course Filipino menu tasting event. “We were so pleased with the turnout, and just how people came out to support and […]
Imagine this: the sweet smell of inihaw and sisig fills the air. The lively chatter in Tagalog surrounds you, along with the many Filipino food vendors lining Mel Lastman Square. The vibrant atmosphere feels like a slice of the Philippines is right here in Toronto. This was the scene at the Enchanted Lights Filipino Market […]
As the first Filipino emcee at the Golden Globe Awards, Jo Koy‘s hosting gig on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024 quickly turned bittersweet for Filipinos as his jokes made the star-studded audience squirm in their seats and hide their faces. Throw in Taylor Swift’s staring-into-Blank-Space expression while sipping champagne, and the Swifties have pretty much declared […]
Amidst grey skies on a cold afternoon on December 30, 2023 at Toronto’s Earl Bales Park, over 60 Filipino-Canadians huddled by Philippine hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s bronze bust to commemmorate the 127th year of his martyrdom. “It is with a deep sense of respect that I, as a Member of Parliament of Filipino descent, […]
When does Christmas officially start in the Philippines? While many countries wait until Halloween is over to put up their Christmas decor, the Philippines has already had a huge holiday headstart. With around 78 per cent of Filipinos practicing Catholicism, Christmas is one religious holiday that’s taken seriously. So how do Filipinos celebrate Christmas? Here […]
As Noreen Ocampo—a Philippine-born, Canadian-trained dental hygienist on a medical mission to the Philippines—peered into the mouth of a young boy from Smokey Mountain, her heart broke at what she saw. “Nabulok na ang permanent teeth (his permanent teeth were all rotted out),” Ocampo said. She said most of the kids from Smokey Mountain—one of […]