18 December 2015 - The Ottawa Catholic School Board's (OCSB) Family Welcome Centre for Newcomers launched its very first Open House today in Nepean, Ottawa. With Filipino Christmas as the event theme, the Centre invited staff of Catholic Education Centre to get better acquainted with the culture of the Filipino families they serve.
Ms. Denise André, OCSB Director of Education, welcomed and invited Philippine Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia to speak about Filipino Christmas traditions and her insights on Filipino culture. After affirming the importance of a good Catholic education to Filipino migrant families, Ambassador Garcia delved into yuletide practices in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, both native and borrowed from the West.
Framing her remarks around the parol (Filipino Christmas lantern), the Ambassador went to the heart of Filipino customs and symbols celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. She uncovered the significance of these traditions as they relate to the practice of the Christian faith as well as the cultural diversity and values shared by the Philippines and Canada that make friendship between the two countries "a match made in heaven."
"Like Canadians, Filipinos are a welcoming people. Hospitality is a trait deeply embedded in Filipino culture," Ambassador Garcia explained. Borrowing from the late President Corazon C. Aquinos remarks during her state visit to Canada in 1989, the Ambassador mused that a Canadian welcome is synonymous with Filipino hospitality.
"One other Christmas tradition shared by Filipinos and Canadians is gift-giving. Like the evolving parol, our gift giving may be changing with the call of the times. But whether gifts are given in boxes, envelopes or gestures, the essence of what we give or receive is what truly counts. And so I thank the OCSB today for the gift of the singular honour of this Open House and the warmest welcome not just for me but for my compatriots who followed the Star of Hope all the way to Canada," Ambassador Garcia concluded.
The Open House showcased Filipino Christmas lanterns handmade by members of the Filipino community in Ottawa and multicultural students from several Catholic schools in Ottawa. A trivia quiz on the Philippines brought to the fore intriguing facts about the country.
The Philippines was the top source country for Canadian immigration in 2014 when 40,000 Filipinos were admitted to Canada as permanent residents. The figure represents a three-fold increase in a decade. At 700,000 strong, Filipinos comprise one of Canada's biggest visible minorities.
The OCSB helps newly-arrived families in the transition to their new lives in Canada, principally with regard to school registration. The agency focuses on families and individuals, whether permanent residents, refugees, international studies, returning Canadian citizens or diplomats, whose home language is not English.
The OCSB runs programs covering French language courses, religious education, special education, driver education, international languages and English as a Second Language (ESL) in addition to adult high school and other continuing and community education programs. END