Strengthening long-standing relations with the Filipino community

City undertakes economic and cultural development mission to the Philippines

The City of Vaughan's Office of Communications and Economic Development is supporting an economic and cultural development mission to the Philippines with meetings in the capital city of Manila and Vaughan’s international partner, Baguio City. The City’s delegation includes Local and Regional Councillor Gino Rosati and Economic Development Director Raphael Costa.

As part of the economic and cultural development mission, Vaughan and Baguio City will modernize their 1997 partnership, aligning it with the corporation's 2019 Economic and Cultural Partnership Policy. This effort positions Vaughan to work closer with Baguio City, while also identifying economic and cultural development opportunities with the broader Philippines and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) economic region. Accordingly, Vaughan and Baguio City will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to initiate negotiations for this renewed partnership. Local and Regional Councillor Rosati is serving as Mayor Steven Del Duca’s designate and will sign the MOU on behalf of Mayor Del Duca, City Council and the City.

Baguio City has strong industry clusters in education with eight post-secondary institutions, a thriving retail and hospitality cluster, and a mining industry in the broader region. The Philippines is a growing economic (trade and investment) partner with Canada, with more than $2.7 billion in trade in 2021, a total value of more than $2.6 billion of Canadian investment in the Philippines and negotiation of a free-trade agreement underway. The Baguio City partnership and relations with the Philippines present an opportunity for Vaughan to act as a gateway between Ontario and the ASEAN economy.

Vaughan has a thriving and engaged Filipino community with close to 10,000 residents, many actively involved with the Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV), including FCAV President Erlinda Insigne, who has supported the City’s 2023 economic and cultural development mission. The mission agenda includes meetings with officials from the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines Department of Education, local government representatives and the University of Baguio, among other public- and private-sector stakeholders.  

Former Vaughan Mayor Lorna Jackson signed Vaughan's international partnership with Baguio City in 1997. Since then, four official delegations from Baguio have visited Vaughan. In 2017, former Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Members of Council welcomed an eight-person delegation from Baguio City to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the agreement. In November 2022, Mayor Del Duca and Council welcomed representatives, including Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councillor Fred Bagbagen of Baguio City, to mark the 25th anniversary of the twinning agreement between the two cities. This meeting and economic development technical briefing marked the first international delegation hosted by Mayor Del Duca and the 2022 to 2026 Term of Council. The visiting delegation also extended an invitation to Council to visit the Philippines.

Links between Vaughan’s community and stakeholders are strong with Baguio. In July 2022, Local and Regional Councillor Rosati led a meeting with staff from Vaughan's Office of Communications and Economic Development, representatives from Niagara University's Vaughan campus, the FCAV and Consul General Orontes V. Castro to explore further partnership opportunities. Furthermore, since 2004, Vaughan has recognized Filipino Day annually in June to celebrate Philippine Independence Day and will once again raise the national flag of the Philippines to mark the occasion on Sunday, June 11. Vaughan Council has undertaken separate missions 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 meet with the Baguio Economic Development Authority.

QUOTES:

"Shortly after becoming Mayor, I was pleased to host my first international delegation at Vaughan City Hall where we welcomed representatives from Baguio City and Consul General Orontes V. Castro to commemorate our communities' proud and lasting relationships. I wish to recognize the members of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan, and especially the Association President Erlinda Insigne for her unwavering commitment to preserve and foster Philippine heritage in Vaughan, and to ensure relationships between Vaughan, Baguio City and the Philippines continue to shape our future city-building priorities. I look forward to actioning on the renewed mandate of our international partnership together."

- Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca

“I am honoured to represent Mayor Steven Del Duca and my Council colleagues during the City of Vaughan’s 2023 economic and cultural development mission to the Philippines. I know firsthand how important Vaughan’s relationship is with the Filipino community, and I look forward to further strengthening future relations through a renewed international partnership.”

- Local and Regional Councillor Gino Rosati

QUICK FACTS:

• Baguio City is located 250 kilometres north of Manila in the province of Benguet. It has a population of 366,358.
• Baguio City is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines."
• Baguio City is a major educational centre, home to eight universities and colleges.
• The Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan was established in 1990. It played an instrumental role in the City of Vaughan signing an agreement with Baguio City in 1997.

LEARN MORE:

• April 2023 Staff Report: Philippines Mission – Renewing the Baguio City Economic and Cultural Partnership
• December 2022 Member’s Resolution: Cultural and Economic Development Mission – Baguio City, Philippines
• City of Vaughan website
• Economic Development's business webpage