This week is Philippine Independence Week in Swift Current, celebrating the official Philippines Independence Day of June 12.
The whole week is set aside, being officially proclaimed at Swift Current city council, to celebrate more than just independence, but also the individuals in Swift Current within the Filipino community.
Icasiana De Gala spoke as a member of the Filipino Association of Swift Current and Area at the Monday city council meeting.
“I was initially told that the theme that our theme for tonight was ‘resilient’,” said De Gala. “To be honest, I was disappointed. I’m not a fan of that word. Yes, we Filipinos are resilient, but too often our resilience is misunderstood.”
De Gala highlighted that just because Filipinos have a reputation for being resilient, reliable and earnest, it is not okay to pay them less, treat them without respect, or rely on them more so than is due.
“None of that means that our contributions should go unnoticed just because we do not demand it to be,” said De Gala. “And it definitely doesn’t mean our voices, our language, our identity, should be silenced because others do not understand.”
Culture was a point highlighted by De Gala. She spoke about how elements like karaoke nights are a large piece of Filipino social circles, and how they also strive to preserve their language of Tagalog.
She highlighted how there is often a stigma that comes with speaking the language in public.
“Like every Filipino who continues to speak our mother tongue despite unjust rules and judgmental stares,” said De Gala. “Like every Filipino child who is trying to discover their cultural identity in the midst of confusing messages.”
She continued to say that they will endeavour to share their culture with other Canadians. Despite certain misgivings, they are determined to remain steadfast.
“We will remain steadfast until we not only have a seat at the table, but our valued voices in shaping this community,” said De Gala. “We did not come to Canada to sit in a corner. We will continue to celebrate our culture despite the tragic events of the Lapulapu Festival, and we will strive to achieve family reunification, considering the ever-changing immigration rules. We will continue to be crazy and loud while participating in the Canada Day parade like what we did last year, celebrating our culture and our skills.”
