Statement: Mayor Bevilacqua welcomes Orontes Castro, Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in Toronto
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Discussion included Vaughan’s strong Filipino
connection
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua issued the following statement after meeting with Orontes Castro, Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in Toronto:
“I was
pleased to welcome Orontes Castro, Consul General of the Republic of the
Philippines in Toronto to Vaughan City Hall earlier today. We discussed the
long and enduring relationship between Vaughan and the Philippines and
expressed our commitment to continue pursuing opportunities for cultural and
economic collaboration.
“The
City of Vaughan’s formal relationship with the Philippines began more than 20
years ago when an international partnership with Baguio City was established to
promote social, cultural and educational exchanges. Since then, four official
delegations from Baguio have visited Vaughan. Last September, I welcomed the
Mayor of Baguio to the City of Vaughan to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the
agreement.
“Vaughan
Council has made a number of visits to Baguio, including in 2009 for its
centennial celebration and the inauguration of the Global Garden, and in 2013,
to celebrate the Flower Festival and to meet with the Baguio Economic
Development Authority.
“Filipino-Canadians
have an important presence in the City of Vaughan. Our local Filipino community
is passionate and dedicated to cultivating a meaningful connection between our countries.
The Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan has been supporting the needs of Filipino-Canadians
since 1990 through their diverse programming catered to seniors, youth and
newcomers. The Philippine Heritage Band was founded in Thornhill in 1980 and
has since grown into one of Canada's premier marching bands, garnering prestigious
awards for performances across North America. These organizations play a
meaningful role in the cultivation of Filipino culture in Vaughan and both are
recipients of the Spirit of Generosity, an initiative I created to support
groups and organizations that make a positive contribution to our city’s overall
quality of life.
“Consul
General Castro and I discussed many of the major city-building initiatives propelling
Vaughan’s transformation, including the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the
Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, the 900-acre North Maple Regional Park and Niagara
University – the first university in York Region. He was interested to learn
that at four per cent, Vaughan’s employment growth rate is far outpacing
Ontario and Canada and since 2010, more than 60,000 new jobs have been created.
Additionally, more than 90 per cent of the foreign-owned companies operating in
York Region are based in Vaughan and the city’s southern York Region
neighbouring communities.
“Vaughan
is blessed and enriched by the diversity of our citizens. People from around
the world choose our city to build a better, more promising life for their
families. Nearly half of our population was born abroad and speak 105 different
languages. Multiculturalism allows us to further strengthen global connections
both culturally and economically. As we look toward our community’s promising
future, we will continue to unleash Vaughan’s potential as a world-class city.
“I want
to thank the Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines and commend his role
in preserving and fostering Philippine heritage in the City of Vaughan. We look
forward to working together to further strengthen the partnership between the
City of Vaughan and the Philippines.”
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