The Story of the Filipino-Canadian (FIL-CAN) Group in Neepawa and the Filipino Heritage Celebration

Van Afuang shared his journey as an immigrant to Canada. He came to Canada in 2002 as the first recruited, internationally educated nurse from the Philippines in the area. He was directly hired by the Regional Health Authority then and he was able to work as a Graduate Nurse and later, took the Canadian Exam for Nurses which he passed.

Afuang shared that his journey as a Nurse in Canada was difficult because of the difference between the Philippine and the Canadian health system including the equipment and the job expectations. He even shared that it was very difficult during that time because there were no Filipinos in the area. His connections with Filipinos started when a Filipino couple who then worked at HyLife (formerly called Spring Hills) was introduced to him by the Mayor of Gladstone during that time.

Later on, more groups of Filipinos came to work in HyLife and at that time they were able to get together as Filipinos even having their first Christmas Party where it all started and they elected Afuang as the President.  The organization was called FILTOBA  (Filipino Association of South Western Manitoba) which was created between 2010 to 2011.

After Afuang’s third-year term, the officers and the name of the organization were changed to FANA (Filipino Association of Neepawa & Area).  Then, he was not involved anymore for a while and the organization died down because there were separate groups already which were the regional groups such as BISDAK (Southern part of the Philippines) and CABALEN (Northern part of the Philippines).

Afuang shared that the organization which is now called Filipino-Canadian Association in Neepawa & Area (FIL-CAN) started when Myla Ignacio who was working at the Settlement at that time approached him and gave him the idea of organizing the Filipino Heritage Month Celebrations in Neepawa. Since then, FIL-CAN has been actively organizing the Filipino Heritage Month celebration with Parades and Cultural performances to showcase the Filipino culture and traditions in the community.