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Non-profit associations which promote culture within a target ethnic community, such as those for the Filipino Canadian group, are often based on dialect and region in the Philippines, sometimes too by school or occupation. These organizations use the network of members for organizing parties, social events, business networking, public community events. The Kalayaan Cultural Community Center has a building too with halls and rooms for rent for meetings and events. The Philippine Press Club Ontario invited to the Casa Manila restuarant for the monthly breakfast/lunch meeting, the President Consolacion "Ching" Quejas to speak about the operations and financing of the KCCC. Formerly a lawyer and now also a leader of the KCCC and a Filipino seniors group, she reveals the difficulties and triumphs in obtaining donations and sponsorship from government and foundations, recruiting members, organizing public events. All that to pay for the costs of mortgage payments, hiring a program coordinator, and run the cultural programs. They offer: dancing classes, rondalla music, conversation classes, and medical drop-in. It is admirable that this is one of the few Philippine associations which managed to budget and buy a building to house its operations. Most do not have the member base nor money to purchase a property. Sometimes, rumours of financial corruption of Board members rationalizes the loss or inability of associations to buy a center despite fundraising efforts. The KCCC should be applauded for its sincere efforts resulting in having a real center for its activities. Philippine heritage within the Canadian diaspora is often lost without such associations continuing to teach and promote language and history from the Philippines. The Canadian mosaic is multicultural and funding from government towards ethnic minorities is disbursed based on need and population, but it does need individuals to actually continue the ethnic cultures to combine the mosaic. A lot of Filipinos, ditto other migrants, who are brought up here often speak the mainstream language English in school, work and at home. So children can lose touch with the heritage unless efforts by the KCCC and other Philippine associations persist in promoting the Philippine culture to Filipinos, and maybe even to the mainstream by events or media. The Philippine Press Club Ontario has members whose newspapers are often written in English, and a few in Pilipino, mixing news from the Philippines, overseas, and in Canada. It would be a feat if the PPCO, another non-profit association, could fund raise and buy a coffee shop to host its monthly meetings! However, for now Casa Manila kindly plays host for the meetings and even KCCC may be a future host as offered by Mrs. Quejas. It would be great to continue such networks for business, cultural and social reasons. Although the Philippines is far away, we continue its heritage and culture overseas and help promote our country to foreigners who may one day visit it. Membership in such associations as KCCC is certainly worth the $20 year to join and feel a co-ownership and 'sense of belonging' using Mrs. Quejas words. The PPCO can join for $100 year she said. Hopefully, it will attract Filipinos and friends to maintain its presence and importance in continuing the Philippine culture overseas.
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