Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan Receives Community Leadership Award at the 2026 Outstanding Canadian Awards

The Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV) is proud and honoured to have received the Community Leadership Award at the 2026 Outstanding Canadian Awards, held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Venu Event Space in Vaughan, Ontario.

The award recognizes FCAV’s commitment to community leadership, volunteerism, cultural preservation, and service to the Filipino Canadian community and the wider Vaughan community.

Leading the delegation was FCAV President Erlinda Insigne, accompanied by eight members of the Board of Directors and two advisers. Their presence represented the collective dedication, teamwork, and shared vision of the association’s leadership and volunteers, whose continued efforts help strengthen community connections and promote Filipino culture, values, and heritage. The FCAV awardees included: Gloria Pasildo VP, Hermogena Benesa Treasurer, Sonny Martinez BOD, Attila Magyar BOD, Joel Medalla BOD, Edna de Guzman BOD, Merly Raposas BOD, Anselma Paulino BOD, Lurve Deblois Adviser and Tony Insigne Adviser.

This recognition is a meaningful milestone for FCAV and a tribute to the many individuals who have contributed their time, talents, and passion to building a stronger, more inclusive, and vibrant community. It also inspires the association to continue its mission of fostering unity, encouraging civic participation, and creating opportunities for cultural exchange and community engagement.

FCAV extends its sincere gratitude to the Outstanding Canadian Awards organizers for this honour and congratulates all the fellow award recipients whose achievements and contributions make a positive difference in Canadian society.

Congratulations to the Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan! This award belongs to the entire FCAV family—its members, volunteers, supporters, and community partners. Together, we celebrate this achievement and look forward to continuing our service to the community with pride, dedication, and the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan.

Maraming salamat po!

The Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV) celebrated the 29th Anniversary of Twinning between the City of Vaughan, Canada, and Baguio City, Philippines, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Patricia Kemp Community Centre.

We were honoured to welcome Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca, and members of Vaughan Council, MPP Laura Smith, Consul Rodney Sumague of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, and our members, friends, and guests.

Cake cutting, colourful cultural dancing, and lively line dancing filled the evening with laughter, fellowship, and community spirit—a joyful celebration of the friendship connecting our two cities.

Our heartfelt thanks to our distinguished guests for their continued support, and to our FCAV officers, advisers, members, volunteers, and performers for making this celebration memorable.

Thank you also to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong for his warm anniversary message.

  Mabuhay ang Baguio! Mabuhay ang Vaughan! Mabuhay tayong lahat!

Join us as we celebrate the 29th anniversary of the twinning partnership between Baguio City, Philippines, and the City of Vaughan.

On Monday, August 10, Secretary Dante Francis “Klink” Ang II met with representatives of Filipino organizations at the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC) in Mississauga. He discussed how the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) supports Filipino organizations abroad and helps connect them with potential business partners.

Secretary Ang explained that although the CFO does not have an office in Canada, it works closely with Filipino associations overseas. He highlighted several CFO initiatives, including the LINKAPIL program, scholarship and economic-development opportunities in the Philippines, cultural immersion, student exchanges, and the promotion of Indigenous Filipino culture. He described the CFO as a broker that helps build connections and facilitate partnerships.

A question-and-answer session followed his presentation. Erlinda Insigne, president of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV), recalled Secretary Ang’s role as press officer when Baguio City and Vaughan established their twinning relationship 29 years ago. She shared that the partnership was created to promote social, cultural, and educational exchanges, as well as economic opportunities between the two cities.

While numerous official visits, cultural and educational exchanges have taken place over the years, Ms. Insigne noted that economic opportunities have been challenging to develop. Secretary Ang assured attendees that his office is ready to help advance this objective.

Included in the pictures are: Sonny Martinez, AFCA Past-President; Irene Hiponia, IFCNA President; Secretary Ang; Lurvie Deblois, FCAV Advisor; Kerwin Tate, Deputy Consul General Toronto; Erlinda Insigne FCAV President.

On behalf of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV), we sincerely thank MPP Laura Smith for presenting us with a certificate recognizing our $19,071.28 Seniors Community Grant. This generous funding will support meaningful activities for seniors, including bingo, tai chi, Zumba, line dancing, and digital literacy programs. These activities will help seniors remain active, socially connected, and confident using technology. FCAV is grateful for this support and looks forward to continuing to enrich the lives of seniors in our community.

July 11–12, 2026 marked another historic milestone for the Filipino-Canadian community as thousands of residents and visitors gathered at Dufferin Clark District Park, City of Vaughan, for the 9th Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza (VFE) 2026. Organized by the Canada Fiesta Extravaganza in partnership with the Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan, this annual celebration proudly showcased the richness of Filipino culture under this year’s theme:

The festivities began on Saturday morning with the colourful Parade, followed by the Opening Ceremony attended by distinguished guests, including Mayor Steven Del Duca, Members of Vaughan Council, Members of Parliament, Members of Provincial Parliament, community leaders, association presidents, sponsors, performers, volunteers, and residents from across the Greater Toronto Area.

In her Welcome Remarks, FCAV President Erlinda Insigne warmly welcomed everyone and reflected on the significance of celebrating Filipino heritage and the continued growth of the Filipino-Canadian community. She noted that the 9th anniversary represents the dedication and support of countless volunteers, sponsors, performers, community partners, and attendees who have helped make VFE one of the city’s most anticipated multicultural celebrations.

Throughout the weekend, visitors enjoyed a vibrant lineup of activities, including spectacular cultural dance performances, live musical entertainment, Filipino martial arts demonstrations, community and cultural presentations, delicious Filipino cuisine, arts and cultural exhibits, celebrity appearances, special presentations, and 50/50 raffle draws in support of community initiatives.

The overwhelming attendance and enthusiastic participation throughout the weekend reflected the continuing success and growth of Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza since its inception in 2018. What began as a community celebration has grown into one of the largest Filipino-Canadian cultural festivals in Ontario, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

The Organizing Committee extends its heartfelt appreciation to:

• The City of Vaughan, led by Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of Council
• Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament
• Our generous sponsors and community partners
• Cultural performers and entertainers
• Volunteers and committee members
• Food and business exhibitors
• Media partners
• Most importantly, everyone who attended and celebrated with us.

Your continued support have helped Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza become a symbol of friendship, diversity, inclusion, and community pride. As expressed in the Organizing Committee’s message of appreciation, the event continues to showcase the many contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community to the cultural and socioeconomic life of the City of Vaughan.

As we celebrate the success of our 9th Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza, we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year as we continue our mission of promoting Filipino heritage, strengthening multicultural relationships, and building a stronger, more inclusive community.

In his closing remarks, Fiesta Extravaganza founder and chief executive Von Canton said the Filipino festival will expand from 14 to 20 cities in 2027, adding Edmonton, Barrie, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Kingston, Pickering, and Leamington to the national tour.

Maraming salamat po! Thank you for making the 9th Vaughan Fiesta Extravaganza 2026 an unforgettable celebration of Filipino culture, friendship, and community spirit.

128th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Celebration in Vaughan

The Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV) proudly celebrated the 128th Anniversary of Philippine Independence on June 13, 2026, at Vaughan City Hall.

The event was a tremendous success, bringing together members of the Filipino Canadian community, residents, friends, and distinguished guests in a meaningful celebration of freedom, heritage, unity, and community spirit.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Consul Kristina Isabelle Martin of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of Vaughan Council (Deputy Mayor Linda Jackson, Regional Councillors: M. Ferri, G. Rosati, M. Racco and Councillors:  M. Iafrate, R. DeFrancesca, C. Ainsworth and G. Martow);  Members of Parliament: Melissa Lantsman, Anna Roberts & Michael Guglielmin;  Members of Provincial Parliament: Stephen Lecce and Laura Smith; community leaders, representatives of various organizations, and all residents and friends who joined us on this special occasion. Thanks as well to our  friends: Deborah Schulte, former Minster for Seniors and Francesco Sorbara, former MP for Vaughan-Woodbridge.

As we commemorated the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898, we paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of our forefathers while celebrating the rich culture, resilience, hard work, and contributions of Filipinos to the City of Vaughan and Canada.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to all attendees who came to celebrate with us, making the event vibrant and meaningful. A special thank you to our planning committee and event volunteers whose dedication and hard work ensured the success of the celebration. We are also grateful to our Emcee and DJ, Ryan Orlanda, for his outstanding professionalism, energy, and enthusiasm, which helped make the program enjoyable and memorable for everyone.

Our heartfelt thanks also go to our performers, namely:  Philippine Heritage Band  headed by Allan De Lara; Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe Tinikling – Fanny Calucag, president;  Cultural Dance – Marilyn Ap-apid, Christian Family Global Church and The Young Voices of St. Paschal Baylon Church – Leonina Magtiba, Instructor as well sponsors, donors, community partners, and all those who contributed their time, talents, and resources to make this event a success

Thank you to everyone including FCAV members and PHB members who helped make this celebration a memorable and successful event. Together, we continue to strengthen the bonds of friendship, cooperation, and community that unite us all.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Filipino Canadian community! Mabuhay ang City of Vaughan!

#PhilippineIndependenceDay #PID2026 #FCAV #CityOfVaughan #FilipinoCanadian #Mabuhay

AGM  2026 – FCAV

The Annual General Membership (AGM) Meeting of the Filipino-Canadian Association of

Vaughan will be held as follows:

Date:  May 8, 2026

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location:  7894 Dufferin St., Concord, ON L4 1R6.

Click on the following link:

Notice of AGM – FCAV 2026-040426(Detl)