Filipinos in the news

Living in Canada
By Mel Tobias Updated May 31, 2009 12:00 AM
Philstar.com


Filipinos in Canada are in the news again. They are about Filipina caregivers with problems, as reported by the Canadian mainstream press. Filipinos make national press not for something positive they have done but for the problems they have in the country.

There are very few articles about countless hardworking Filipinos who are active in shaping Canada towards globalization and continued prosperity. Here are two current examples:

Hessana Santiago came to Canada in 2005 as a live-in caregiver. She left her family (husband and four children) in the Philippines with the plan to be reunited as permanent residents of Canada in three years. Santiago finished her two-year work term and submitted her immigration paperwork. When a required medical exam diagnosed her 12-year-old daughter with chronic kidney failure, Santiago’s request for permanent residency was disqualified. Immigration officials informed Santiago that her daughter may pose “excess demand” on the Canadian health system.

A local politician is on Santiago’s side and wants to require family medical exams up front so potential nannies would know if their family members are eligible for residency before leaving them for years. It would also ensure the family could not be denied residency if one member developed a medical condition while the caregiver was in Canada.

Filipino Canadians are somehow split on this problem. Many would want Santiago to get her residency for her family on humanitarian ground. They hope that there is a compassionate exemption that will be granted by the minister of citizenship and immigration.

Others feel that she would be taking advantage of the Canadian medical system because there are many Canadians who may be deprived of medical help because an exemption could lead to more exemptions from every immigrant status. It is a known fact that many immigrants have taken or are taking advantage of Canada’s humane health program.

In all other immigration classes, all members of a family have a medical exam up front and are accepted or denied as a unit.

At the moment Santiago work two jobs, remit money to the Philippines to pay the medical bills of her daughter (around C$1,000 per month). If she is allowed to stay, Santiago will join 8,237 other British Columbians who earned residency through the live-in caregiver program, started in 2002.

Richelyn Tongson and Magdalene Gordo are caregivers in Toronto who testified against Ruby Dhalla, the glamorous and ambitious politician whose political career is in danger of collapsing due to an allegation that she and her family illegally employed, then bullied and mistreated the Filipina caregivers for her aging mother. Dhalla is a child activist, former beauty queen, Bollywood starlet, University of Winnipeg biochemistry and political science graduate, former model and owner of successful chiropractic clinics.

The testimony of the two victimized Filipina caregivers and their stream of negative comments made it to the mainstream press. The caregivers claimed that Dhalla seized their passports, were overworked and underpaid, even forced to take on tasks like washing cars, shoveling snow and cleaning the clinics she owned. Some say that all the negative comments were made up to destroy her political future.

All said, Ruby Dhalla is only 35 years old, very glamorous and is one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian politics. She was even named by a popular national magazine as the third “hottest” female politician in the world. Also the sexiest and best-dressed Parliament Minister. The investigation is ongoing.

On the positive side, Living Today Magazine, a publication of Philippine News Today and the first Filipino Canadian magazine in Canada continues to uplift the Philippine image amidst negative stereotypes and that all Filipinos are mostly caregivers.

Living Today’s June issue features Filipino Canadians who are current leaders in the hotel, hospitality and tourism industry of British Columbia. More hoteliers will be featured in future issues but for June, they are:

EVANGELINE ARCE IMPERIAL – Director of Sales and Marketing of Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside. Her strategic tasks include making sure that the hotel’s branding, image and identity follow the hotel’s three pillars – life of luxury, savvy service and expressive destination.

BASILISA MAE LIM-GONZALES –Conference Manager, Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre. The hotel has a long history in the development of tourism and the hotel industry in Vancouver.

JANE AGUSTIN DRAZIC – Sales Manager, Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. Formerly with restaurant group of the late Larry Cruz, Drazic moved to Canada in 2001 and is responsible for the hotel’s government and union accounts.

ROSSANA ARANETA – Front Office Manager, Empire Landmark Hotel and Conference Centre. She is in charge of several departments from reservations, security, housekeeping and the front office and conventions.

CECILIA DALMACIO – Sales Manager, Hilton Vancouver Airport. She has been with the hotel for several years and her career continues to flourish. Her responsibilities will expand with the forthcoming Winter Olympics.

FREDRICK YU – Manager of Sales and Catering, River Rock Casino. Yu is now a well-known figure in the Canadian tourism industry. His amazing career led him to top hotels like the Grand Okanagan Resort in Kewlona that led to his current post.

ALI MACARAEG – Senior Sales and Marketing Manager, Via Rail Canada. He joined Via Rail as a ticket agent then worked himself to a senior post in the company. Macaraeg said that life in Canada was and is still an amazing ride.