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PH cultural center in British Columbia gets gov’t support

Fil-Canadians welcome the inclusion of government funding for a cultural center in British Columbia in the country's spending plan next year.

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Rowena Papasin

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kzFpmq9TF9Q?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNews&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Filipino-Canadians in British Columbia were elated after the federal government included funding for their Filipino Cultural Centre project in the country’s proposed budget for 2024. Lawmaker Don Davies was warmly welcomed to Vancouver by the Mabuhay House Society and the Filipino Seniors Club of B.C. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/25/24/ph-cultural-center-project-in-bc-gets-groups-support">PH cultural center project in BC gets groups&#x27; support </a></div>The member of parliament for Vancouver-Kingsway, a riding where many Filipinos reside, was the one who pushed for the project’s inclusion in the proposed budget. Davies said he has been asking the finance ministry for federal funding for a Filipino cultural center in the last 15 years. “I just made it really clear to this government that the Filipino community in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia has been waiting a long time,” he said. “It&#x27;s an extremely important initiative that I think is overdue.”Fil-Canadian lawmaker Rechie Valdez also shared the news on social media. Valdez, who is Canada’s minister of small business, urged the community to present a formal proposal to the federal government so funding can be allotted to their initiative. “What the community will need to do is, of course, ensure that they&#x27;re putting forward their proposal,” said Valdez, who also represents Streetsville-Mississauga. “Funding will only come if there&#x27;s a proposal that&#x27;s put in place. “Davies agreed with Valdez and added that once the proposal is approved, the Filipino cultural center project can be included in the Green Initiatives and Community Building Fund. The Mabuhay House Society said the development is a historic moment that should be celebrated by the community. It&#x27;s a commitment [and] it&#x27;s in writing,” said the group’s chairperson, Sammie Jo Rumbaua. “And so, we&#x27;re happy with that. We just need to make the federal government accountable.”Another group, Filipino B.C., expressed excitement and said it was happy for community members who will benefit from the cultural space. The budget, however, faces rough sailing in Canada’s parliament because the Conservatives and the Green Party have said that they will oppose it.Davies admitted that there is a chance that the support for the Filipino cultural project may be gone if the budget is not passed.But he vowed to work hard to make it happen.“We&#x27;ve waited long enough,” the lawmaker added. “Filipinos in British Columbia have waited long enough, decades. It&#x27;s time to make this happen and I&#x27;ll do everything I can to do that.”Meanwhile, Rumbaua said the B.C. government has also greenlit the project and is set to launch its survey of what Filipinos want to be included in the cultural center.The project may take up to 10 years to complete.

Fil-Canadians welcome the inclusion of government funding for a cultural center in British Columbia in the country's spending plan next year.

PH cultural center project in British Columbia gets gov’t support

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PH cultural center project in British Columbia gets gov’t support

Rowena Papasin,

TFC News

Published Apr 25, 2024 10:49 PM PHT

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