PR No. 141-2024

08 November 2024, Ottawa. Ambassador Maria Andrelita S. Austria, together with a team from the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, the Philippine Migrant Workers Office in Toronto and the Philippine Trade Section in Toronto met with the members of the Filipino community in Prince Edward Island (PEI) during her three-day visit in the Province.

Ambassador Austria swore in a newly-reorganized Filipino community group, Filipino Canadian Association of Prince Edward Island (FCAPEI) founded by former Honorary Consul Leticia La Rosa. FCAPEI is a non-governmental organization originally established in 1987 and was the first recognized organization in PEI dedicated to promoting Filipino culture and tradition. Its projects focus on youth development including a career exposure day, after-school programs, and sports fests.

In her remarks, Ambassador Austria highlighted the role of the Filipino community in PEI as one of the fastest growing communities on the Island. She encouraged them to keep aspiring for a strong community presence and a bigger footprint on the Province.

Community members shared their inspiring stories and struggles, while the visiting team took the opportunity to update them of the programs and welfare services available to Filipinos in the Province, through the Philippine Embassy and its attached agencies, MWO-Toronto and Trade Section-Toronto. “Maraming salamat po at kahit maliit ang community sa PEI ay dinalaw ninyo pa rin kami,” says one member.

PEI is home to an estimated 5,000 Overseas Filipinos. END