Mabuhay House Society Celebrates Community Engagement Success During Filipino Heritage Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2024
Vancouver, BC – Mabuhay House Society is thrilled to announce the outstanding success of its community engagement efforts during June Filipino Heritage Month. Since the launch of the provincial Filipino cultural centre Vision survey on May 31, 2024, the survey has received more than 900 responses and garnered over 2,800 engagement site visits. This achievement was highlighted by the BC Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sports, Honourable Lana Popham.
In a letter sent in June 2024, Minister Popham praised the achievements of Mabuhay House Society:
"Without Mabuhay House's background work and leadership, supported by the Provincial funding announcement in April 2023, the current government engagement and survey would not be as successful as it has already proven to be—with over 600 completed surveys and 1,800 engagement site visits in less than three weeks after launch. I wish you all the best in continuing to build capacity in your organization and developing further partnerships with the Filipino Canadian community in B.C. I am excited about continuing to work in partnership with Mabuhay House to make this decades-long dream a reality."
Mabuhay House Society's Board Chair, Sammie Jo Rumbaua, expressed pride in the organization's accomplishments and urged community members to share their voices:
"We are incredibly proud of the positive response and active participation from our community. Our goal is to ensure that every Filipino Canadian in B.C. has the opportunity to contribute to the vision of the provincial Filipino cultural centre. I encourage everyone to complete the survey and help us shape a cultural centre that reflects our vibrant heritage and diverse experiences. The survey is open until December 2024, and we value every voice."
Mabuhay House Society extends its gratitude to the community for their enthusiastic participation and to the provincial government for its continued support. In an effort to further engage the Filipino community, the survey is now available in Filipino, making it more accessible and encouraging greater participation.
Visit engage.gov.bc.ca/provincialfilipinoculturalcentre to share your input and get your voices heard. Together, we are making significant strides towards realizing the Filipino-Canadian dream of a physical building that we can call home.
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About Mabuhay House Society
Established in 2021, Mabuhay House Society is a registered non-profit society working closely with the provincial government to develop a provincial Filipino cultural centre that will be an inclusive, intercultural, and intergenerational space that Filipino Canadians can call home, where everyone is welcome. Mabuhay House Society is paving the way for the Filipino connection and community to thrive in BC. Visit our website at mabuhayhouse.ca.
For more info:
Sammie Jo Rumbaua
Board Chair, Mabuhay House Society
chair@mabuhayhouse.ca
604-334-1800