National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada
Press Release

NAPWC Consultation: Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural Canada

May 1, 2006

Vancouver, B.C. – On May 5-7, the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) – an umbrella organization of various organizations in Canada, in partnership with Canadian Heritage, will be hosting representatives of various Filipino organizations across the country in a national conference entitled, "Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural Canada" - a three-year comprehensive project towards full participation of Filipinos in a multicultural Canada.

At a press conference on Friday, May 5th, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the YWCA, 4th Floor (535 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C.) Marilou Carrillo of the Philippine Women Centre of B.C., Edwin Mercurio of the Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ) in Toronto, Roderrick Carreon of SIKLAB Quebec – a Filipino migrant workers organization, and Generoso Dimacali of Philippine Support and Community Group of Winnipeg will each share the situation of the Filipino community in their respective areas.

As the fourth largest immigrant group in Canada, Filipinos are located mainly in major cities and suburbs of Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. While they are among the highest and most educated immigrant group in Canada, they are also among those at the bottom of the economic hierarchy. Most are women (around 65% of all Filipinos in Canada) many of who have come and continue to come under the Live-in-Caregiver Program (LCP) which suggests an increasing feminization of migration among Filipinos. The combined status as immigrants and people of colour has been a major factor in their consignment to occupationally segregated and low wage sectors of the economy. This in turn, has had a serious negative impact in their civic participation as a growing community in Canada.

This three-year community-based project will address the program of Multiculturalism Canada to “assist in the development of strategies that facilitate full and active participation of ethnic… and cultural communities … and improve the ability of public institutions to respond to ethnic and cultural diversity by assisting in the identification and removal of barriers to equitable access and by supporting the involvement of these communities in public decision-making processes.” (The Multicultural Program – Multiculturalism Canada).

The three-day conference will look at the causes and factors leading to economic marginalization of the community, racism, discrimination and social exclusion, women and gender issues, and youth issues, as well
as strategize actions towards a full participation of the Filipino community in Canadian society.

For more information, contact the NAPWC Conference Secretariat at
604-215-1103.