Latest news with #FilipinoCanadianAssociationofSaskatchewan
Global News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Saskatoon Folkfest to undergo changes for 2025 as pavilions decrease
Saskatoon's Folkfest remains one of the city's flagship summer events, welcoming people of all cultures to experience new food, music, and traditions across the city. This year, attendees will notice the festival undergo a new look with the same rich experiences. A now two-day event taking place on Aug. 15 and 16 from 3 p.m. to midnight, the festival will now run out of one central location at Prairieland Park, a move away from pavilions scattered throughout the city. 'Before COVID at some point, we were close to 25 pavilions,' said Folkfest director Kishore Gali. 'Post-COVID, there was a big drop in the number of pavilions.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Only nine pavilions will be taking part in this year's festival, including India, Latin America, Iran and Ghana. The Scottish pavilion, which took last year off, has confirmed its return for this year. Some big names will not be participating this year, however. The Ukrainian pavilion will be absent for the second straight year, while the Philippines will be pausing their participation. Story continues below advertisement 'We need to re-evaluate our focus, so we decided to take a pause for this year.' said Filipino Canadian Association of Saskatchewan co-president Janine Lazaro. She says the current layout of the festival does not align with the community's needs, adding it was a difficult decision to make. 'We were emotional, the rest of the board, when we did the decision.' The pavilion remains a member of the festival and hopes to return next year. While conversations with the Philippines and other members continue, Gali says this year will encompass a smaller, but incredibly diverse, group of cultural communities in Saskatoon for many to discover. 'The Folkfest audience can still expect the international experience and the experience of the world cultures, food and traditions.'
CBC
28-04-2025
- CBC
Saskatchewan's Filipino community heartbroken after deadly Vancouver festival tragedy
Members of Saskatchewan's Filipino community are expressing shock, sadness and solidarity following an incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver on Saturday that left 11 people dead and several others injured. Jenelyn Santos Ong, co-president of the Filipino Canadian Association of Saskatchewan (FILCAS), said the news was devastating to hear. "It's definitely one of shock and sadness, something unimaginable and unexpected, especially at an event that's supposed to be celebrating our culture and heritage," Ong said. The incident happened Saturday afternoon during a street party commemorating Lapu Lapu, a revered Filipino hero known for resisting Spanish colonization in the 1500s. According to police, a vehicle drove into the festival crowd. The driver, a 30-year-old Vancouver man, is in custody. Ong said many Filipinos in Saskatchewan have family and friends living in Vancouver. She noted that although her loved ones had already left the festival site before the tragedy occurred, not everyone has been accounted for. "A lot of us know family and friends that are living there," she said. "Even if they're not directly impacted, just knowing that they were there, and witnessing it or being close by, it still affects them." Ong says FILCAS has already contacted Filipino organizations in British Columbia to offer support, and will continue coordinating efforts to help the affected families. She encouraged people to focus on community healing rather than sharing graphic images or videos circulating online. "We really want to focus on the people and do what we can to support them," Ong said. Alvin Pulga, public relations officer for the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan in Regina, said he first learned of the tragedy from a family group chat. Like many, he woke up to the devastating news on Sunday morning. "As a Filipino-Canadian, it hits closer to home," Pulga said. "Our community here in Regina is heartbroken and saddened." Pulga said the tragedy sparked difficult conversations within his own family, particularly with younger relatives now fearful about attending cultural festivals. "I was talking about it with my niece and my son earlier today and it's hard to explain, you know, the reality that things like this can happen," he said. "You try to comfort them just knowing that it'll be OK." He emphasized the importance of reassuring young people that celebrating culture should remain a source of pride and joy, despite the risks. "Events like this are supposed to be joyous," he said. "We want our kids to know they should still be excited to celebrate our culture." Strength in community Pulga and the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan have been preparing for its Filipino pavilion at Mosaic festival — an annual multicultural event scheduled for the first weekend of June. He said that while security had not been a focus in past meetings, that will likely change. "I'm sure at our next meeting something's gonna be brought up with this idea in mind of security," he said. Both Ong and Pulga emphasized that while the tragedy has cast a shadow over celebrations, it has also revealed the strength and unity of the Filipino community.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
Saskatchewan's Filipino community heartbroken after deadly Vancouver festival tragedy
Members of Saskatchewan's Filipino community are expressing shock, sadness and solidarity following an incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver on Saturday that left 11 people dead and several others injured. Jenelyn Santos Ong, co-president of the Filipino Canadian Association of Saskatchewan (FILCAS), said the news was devastating to hear. "It's definitely one of shock and sadness, something unimaginable and unexpected, especially at an event that's supposed to be celebrating our culture and heritage," Ong said. The incident happened Saturday afternoon during a street party commemorating Lapu Lapu, a revered Filipino hero known for resisting Spanish colonization in the 1500s. According to police, a vehicle drove into the festival crowd. The driver, a 30-year-old Vancouver man, is in custody. Ong said many Filipinos in Saskatchewan have family and friends living in Vancouver. She noted that although her loved ones had already left the festival site before the tragedy occurred, not everyone has been accounted for. "A lot of us know family and friends that are living there," she said. "Even if they're not directly impacted, just knowing that they were there, and witnessing it or being close by, it still affects them." Ong says FILCAS has already contacted Filipino organizations in British Columbia to offer support, and will continue coordinating efforts to help the affected families. She encouraged people to focus on community healing rather than sharing graphic images or videos circulating online. "We really want to focus on the people and do what we can to support them," Ong said. Jenelyn Santos Ong, co-president of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Saskatchewan, says the organization has reached out the Vancouver-Filipino community to offer support. (Jeffery Tram/CBC) Alvin Pulga, public relations officer for the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan in Regina, said he first learned of the tragedy from a family group chat. Like many, he woke up to the devastating news on Sunday morning. "As a Filipino-Canadian, it hits closer to home," Pulga said. "Our community here in Regina is heartbroken and saddened." Pulga said the tragedy sparked difficult conversations within his own family, particularly with younger relatives now fearful about attending cultural festivals. "I was talking about it with my niece and my son earlier today and it's hard to explain, you know, the reality that things like this can happen," he said. "You try to comfort them just knowing that it'll be OK." He emphasized the importance of reassuring young people that celebrating culture should remain a source of pride and joy, despite the risks. "Events like this are supposed to be joyous," he said. "We want our kids to know they should still be excited to celebrate our culture." Strength in community Pulga and the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan have been preparing for its Filipino pavilion at Mosaic festival — an annual multicultural event scheduled for the first weekend of June. He said that while security had not been a focus in past meetings, that will likely change. "I'm sure at our next meeting something's gonna be brought up with this idea in mind of security," he said. Both Ong and Pulga emphasized that while the tragedy has cast a shadow over celebrations, it has also revealed the strength and unity of the Filipino community. "One thing about Filipinos is that we really do come together when there's tragedy or crisis," Ong said. "The community is still feeling that sadness, but also the gratitude for having a community that comes together."
