The growing Filipino community in Greater Victoria has revitalized its plans for a community centre and housing complex that would replace their current centre on Blanshard Street.
Filipino community leaders made their pitch to elected officials Saturday at a packed event marking the start of Filipino Heritage Month held at the Bayanihan Community Centre amid performances of song, dance, theatre and a feast of Filipino cuisine.
Victoria Filipino-Canadian Association president Sid Emmanuel said the community in Victoria now numbers 10,000 strong, a long ways from their 1969 beginnings of just a “lonely group of nurses away from home.”
The association has outgrown the 60-seat capacity building at 1709 Blanshard St., he said.
Much of that growth has been buoyed by an influx of students and the graduates who have decided to stay, he said, adding that hundreds of students are currently studying at the University of Victoria alone.
A place needs to be provided for them, said Emmanuel, adding that the centre’s doors have long been open for everyone. “Invest in us. We are your best investment.”
He said that Saturday was the first time the centre hosted elected officials from all three levels of government.
Attendees included Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke MP Randall Garrison, MLAs Mable Elmore and Rob Fleming, Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock, Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson, Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi, and a number of current and former Victoria city councillors.
Mike Caparas, president of the UVic’s Philippine Community Club, said the group has some 800 members, not including alumni.
The three-year-old club has strong ties with UVic’s continuing studies division and holds monthly events at the cultural centre, he said.
Elaine Abanto-Wong, who is leading efforts for a new building through the Bayanihan Cultural and Housing Society, said she is much more optimistic about the effort these days compared to when she first started on the plans eight years ago.
The society had considered selling the building due to aging members and volunteer burnout, according to a 2016 report compiled for it.
“But now you can see we have a more vibrant centre with more volunteers stepping up. It feels like a renewed energy,” she said.
The initial plan meant for the housing units to go to Filipino Canadian seniors, but the society is now looking to open the housing to others, she said.
The plan then called for land assembly of nearby properties for the new centre, she said, but it couldn’t make the purchase due to the lack of money and willing partners.
A feasibility study by Pacifica Housing in 2017 found that it would be better to develop the 5,078 square feet lot in conjunction with a nearby lot due to space constraints, she said.
In January, the City of Victoria purchased the two lots surrounding the Philippine Bayanihan Community Centre for a new downtown park.
Abanto-Wong said the city had intended to get in touch with the society the day before it announced the $11-million purchase but ultimately couldn’t do so because of scheduling differences.
“They were apologetic about not being able to tell us beforehand, but they did express a willingness to work together,” she said.
“We’ve had lots of discussions over the years with developers, with non-profit organizations, with levels of government. And now we need to really step up and take action,” she told those gathered at Saturday’s event.
The society has applied to Heritage Canada for a $250,000 grant to help conduct community surveys about the centre expansion.
Elmore, the first elected MLA of Filipino heritage in B.C., said the province is committed to building a provincial cultural centre for Filipino Canadians.
While a site has not been decided, one possible option would be emulating the Chinese Canadian museum model, which is located in Vancouver and has a branch in Victoria, she said.
A website and engagement survey for a provincial Filipino cultural centre was launched on Friday.
Inter-cultural Association of Greater Victoria CEO Shelly D’Mello said Victoria’s Filipino community is well-placed to expand its centre.
“They are welcome contributors, but most importantly, leaders … their efforts are not just about the Filipino community,” she said. “Its also about the health, well-being and success of Victoria.”
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