Victoria Filipino Canadian Seniors Association - VFCSA

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Victoria Filipino Canadian Seniors Association - VFCSA

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06/03/2026

Today(June 1,2026) we celebrated the birthdays of two very special people, Lilia Panganiban and Julie Namoco. The birthday cake was lit and everybody showered them with love and wishes for a year full of happiness and good health. Happy Birthday!!!

A light lunch was served by the culinary group followed by a short meeting. Senior participation in the upcoming Filipino Heritage Month was discussed.

The VFCSA Senior Dancers will be participating in the program showcasing Philippine Folk Dances. In addition, two Hawaiian dance numbers will be shown. Being seniors, we may never be able duplicate the graceful moves of the “wahinies” of Hawaii but to be able to “hula”without dislocating our hips is triumph enough in our state of being. There will be other dance groups participating so come see the program to alert your senses to the variety of cultural music and dances that have evolved in different places. Listen to the familiar Filipino music and dances and also appreciate the dance moves of other ethnic groups as they present their own particular dances. Each group’s music, move and dance interpretation are unique which makes the show worth watching.

The seniors will have a Booth where we will display some items of interest from the Philippines. We will have “sungka” a shell game once popular in the old days before computers kicked the “Sungka”, shells and all into oblivion. We will have a variety of items like carvings, art prints, greeting cards and others on display. We plan to play “Bingo”. We will have food and other items for purchase so members are urged to stop by with your friends and family to support this senior initiative. We would love to see you all so make it a point to visit the VFCSA booth.

There will be a Fashion Show where ladies and gentlemen participants are encouraged to dress up in Filipino Attire to show the beautiful colour of our costumes, the richness of our fabrics, the exquisite designs, the durability and practicality of the fabrics used etc,etc. Let us proudly show the world that our clothes although not designed by a couturier are comfortable, practical,and stylish enough to wear even in world competitions.

A few seniors were not able to attend the meeting today due to temporary physical limitations Our thoughts are with you and wish you a quick recovery.

Upcoming Event:

Filipino Heritage Month

June 13,14, 2026
10AM to 5PM

Centennial square, Victoria, BC

05/20/2026

A grand parade! What a memorable way for a community to join together and celebrate Victoria Day! The Bayanihan was a significant participant in the event and marched proudly carrying both the Canadian and Philippine flags.

Resplendent in their various costumes, the Filipino parade participants were colourful, vibrant and motivated. Participants were encouraged to dress up in their native costumes or wear their professional attires to show the various professions Filipinos have chosen and eventually brought to Canadian society as immigrants to Canada.

This year, the parade route was shortened to 1.6 KM. There were about 4,000 participants. There were various floats from different organizations. The Philippines had a float as well with the small "Bahay Kubo" or Nipa Hut in the foreground. There were marching bands some coming from the States which livened the pace of the parade. Marching along in the parade was a tall lady walking on stick legs, smiling and waving as she balanced herself on those long legs. A fine group of Sikh motorcyclists came by riding without helmets and are exempted by law. The Chinese contingent were elegantly dressed in their beautiful silk red costumes and the Mexican group had colourful balloon skirts. There were many others I cannot all mention here for lack of space. Each group made the parade a feast for the eyes to see.

As is customary after the parade, participants were invited to the Bayanihan where the VFCSA group and other volunteers served them lunch. This dedicated group has been doing this for years and we are all grateful to these ladies and gentlemen who sacrifice, time labour and effort to cater and feed all the hungry and tired participants year after year.

The following are pictures from the parade.

05/12/2026

The VFCSA seniors held their monthly meeting yesterday and also celebrated birthday celebrants for May. Dalma Corbo, Fatima Ablona, and Consolita Rubino were the celebrants. Wishing you all a “Happy Birthday and a year full of happiness”.

Lunch prepared and served for the group was done by the “Delicious Culinary Group.” As usual, the seniors enjoyed their lunches specially so when food was shared with friends and familiar faces. There were stories to tell and news to share which made the occasion more interesting to everyone.

We had special guests who came to give us advice on the importance of having a Will, caregiving and also informed us of their availability to answer any questions we may have on those topics. We were given booklets to go through and their phone numbers are listed for those who may need to reach them.

Myrna Cubangbang, after a long hiatus, was back from her vacation and made the treasurer’s report. It will suffice to say that we are in the green and we will be planning on how and what the group will do for future activities.

This Monday is Victoria Day and the seniors are in charge of feeding our parade participants. Many hands are needed to accomplish this so please plan on giving a hand.

Happy Victoria Day!

04/21/2026

🚨 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒, 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀! 🇨🇦 🇵🇭

His Excellency Ambassador Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga is coming to town - and he wants to meet 𝐘𝐎𝐔!

Join us on 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝟓:𝟎𝟎 -𝟕:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 for an inspiring evening of connection, stories, and big ideas for our community.

Let’s come together to shape our future, including the vision for a new community centre, and important conversations on labour and immigration.

𝐁𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!

👉 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://forms.gle/jPkvYStWDUewWKBR7

Registration is now open, and we encourage you to sign up right away!

Together, let’s bring our 𝐁𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 - See you there!

04/07/2026

Celebrating their Birthdays this month are from left to right: Bethy Layo, Cora Celiz, Josie Manuel and Naomi Aquino.

There was a variety of foods served for lunch including roasted chicken, shrimps, salads, newly baked breads, etc. coffee and tea were available to quench the thirst.

Attending the meeting were representatives of the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants & Refugees (VICCIR). Program Coordinator, Henry McKenzie and Community Service Manager, Laura Lee spoke to the members about programs they can offer and asked for suggestions from the group as to items of interest they want to be discussed in the future for more enlightenment. They are scheduled to meet with the group again at our next meeting in May to expand on the subject of Wills, what to consider in writing, terms used, etc.

Tina Rezvani gave the members a preview of a Hawaiian dance showing hand and foot movements to simulate the graceful body expressions of the famed Hula girls that always captivates the hearts of spectators.

The meeting ended with Bingo games for the Bingo enthusiasts. It was a light hearted, fun day to see friends and acquaintances but most of all it was a good way to convey to our Birthday Celebrants our heartfelt greetings on their birthdays in April.

04/06/2026

Mabuhay! We're glad you're here to witness the launch of Mabuhay! Festival 2026.

Mabuhay! Victoria’s biggest Filipino festival returns this June!

Get ready for a feast of flavour, rhythm, and culture as Mabuhay!—Victoria’s largest Filipino food market, music and cultural festival, and fine arts showcase—takes over Centennial Square once again.

Follow the aroma of our irresistible adobo, savour the crackling perfection of our sumptuous lechon, and cool down with a mouth‑watering special halo‑halo crafted just the way it’s made back home. Then wander through our vibrant marketplace filled with rare finds and handcrafted treasures before settling in at the mainstage for electrifying cultural and musical performances.

Mabuhay! is at the Centennial Square, Victoria BC on June 13th & 14th from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Come hungry. Come curious. Come celebrate.

Mabuhay—where the Philippines comes alive in the heart of Victoria.

! !

04/05/2026

HAPPY EASTER from the members of the VFCSA!

03/25/2026

Earlier this month, all March birthday celebrants were honoured with a lunch held on Monday, March 2,2025 at the Bayanihan. We sang our good wishes to them and shared with their birthday cake. Mary was one of the celebrants.

On March 12, Mary celebrated her Birthday with her “Birthday Group” at Toishian Restaurant. She was elegantly dressed in a beautiful Chinese dress.

On March 19, CCMC Ladies Chat Group where Mary is a member, celebrated with her at Consolita Rubino’s residence. Domino and Scrabble were played in between sips of Sparkling water. A vegetarian menu was served by the host followed by a special cake for the celebrant.

Sharing with you pictures of the events.

03/16/2026

Today is Sunday, March 15, 2025 and for one special person, guests started arriving at the Red Robin before 5PM to celebrate her birthday. Lucy Scott was the celebrant and is in her seventies and therefore also a septuagenarian.

Her choice for her Birthday colour theme was orange so most of the guests complied with the dress code or tried to accentuate their clothes with an orange coloured article. It must have been very obvious to an outsider because our waiter asked “why the orange colour?”.

Ligaya Panter was the baker of the birthday cake which was decorated with orange flowers with a yellow background. Everyone was given a piece of the cake to take home and savour later on. Lucy prepared a special give away for each of her guests which was a beautifully wrapped bottle of a hand wash lotion.

In conclusion, I would like to mention that this is a special gathering for Lucy, not only to wish her a Happy Birthday but also to thank her for being the VFCSA Secretary who faithfully made almost all of the calls for the VFCSA meetings. We wish her well and thank her for a job well done.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LUCY!!!

03/09/2026

Happy Birthday to Connie Custodio! She just turned 70 and now she is in the class of “Septuagenarians”. Friends gathered at the Fountain Restaurant yesterday, March 8, to help her celebrate this milestone in her life.

Most of the guests wore yellow which was the chosen color by the celebrant. The yellow colour signifies warmth, joy and optimism. As I see it, Connie embodies this chosen colour in the way she deals with people. She is always cheerful and helpful. She was one of the “founding fathers” of the VFCSA. She helped “nurture” the senior organization from its inception to what it is today.

A beautiful, delicious cake was baked by Ligaya Panter. The food selection served at the restaurant was well balanced with meat, veggies, noodles, etc in a variety of recipes all familiar to Filipinos. Tea, as is customary in Chinese Restaurants, was available. “Bootsie” a favourite among Filipinos was served at the end. The birthday cake was sliced and distributed as a “take Home” for the guests. Everyone was satisfied with the selection of foods served.

A special gift envelope was handed to Connie in appreciation of her involvement with the VFCSA by Tita Quigley.

As part of her “giving” nature, Connie brought with her small gifts and candy to throw out on a table for which each person from a designated table had to scramble to get either a gift or candy. It was, all in all, a fun day enjoyed by all guests in celebration of Connie Custodio’s 70th birthday.

Address

1709 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC
V8W2J8

Website

https://www.bayanihan.ca/vfcsa

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