25 YEARS OF CULTURE PHILIPPINES OF ONTARIO

Culture Philippines of Ontario (CPO) is a non-profit, community-based, and child centered organization established in 1985. Its objective is to retain and share Filipino cultural heritage by providing music, dance and performing arts instructions to children in Canada and sharing it with the community. CPO conducts folk dance lessons and rehearsals on Saturdays at the Kalayaan Community Centre at 5225 Orbitor Drive in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Since 1985, CPO has been the host of the Philippine pavilion in the three-day annual Carassauga Festival of Cultures in the City of Mississauga. This festival allows the residents of this fast growing community the opportunity to see the diversity in music, history, art displays, crafts, food and entertainment of more than twenty countries. The Philippine pavilion consistently draws the largest crowd and was awarded The Most Outstanding Pavilion for three years (2003, 2004 and 2006).The Philippine pavilion was also given the “People’s Choice Award” garnering the largest audience votes in 2007 and 2008.

CPO was under the tutelage of Fiesta Filipina until 2000. In 2001, CPO member Ms. Maria Laset handled the dance instruction. Her caring attitude and dedication inspired the dancers to stay and improve their dancing skills. The dance performances were brought to a professional level in 2002 when Ms. Ma. Eleanor Mescallado-Kalash, a former director-dancer of the world renowned Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company, joined CPO as its Artistic and Dance Director. She introduced indigenous and unpublished folk numbers, new staging and choreography, authentic costumes, and Philippine inspired contemporary dance numbers that boosted both the performers and the organization. In 2005, Carlo Lopez and Julius Calum also from Bayanihan joined CPO and enhanced CPO’s performances by providing live music to its programs

Luz Del Rosario, then CPO president in 2001 negotiated an agreement with then Paramount Canada’s Wonderland for CPO to host the Annual Filipino Day celebration at its International Showplace amphitheatre, Due to its overwhelming success, the event was eventually moved to a larger venue, the Kingswood Music Theatre. For this event, CPO gathers talents from the local community and gives them the opportunity to be a part of this celebration by incorporating their musical and dance numbers in an evening show. Cultural and contemporary numbers are carefully arranged to entertain both the Filipino and mainstream audience. As part of its commitment in the promotion and development of young talents in the community, Culture Philippines of Ontario started an annual search for Filipino Singing Idols in 2003. The finalists in the two categories perform at the Filipino Day at Canada’s Wonderland where the winners are selected. In keeping up with the times, FlipHop competition was added in 2008 to that excited the younger crowd attending the Filipino Day at Wonderland event.

In 2002 and 2004, CPO brought its dancers to Florida to attend dance workshops and perform at the Walt Disney’s Magic Music Days in Downtown Disney and in Disney’s Epcot Centre. This project was spearheaded by Luz Del Rosario. Luz was also instrumental in bringing CPO youth performers to the international festival in Drummondville Quebec in 2005 and 2007. With the help of CPO’s Artistic Director, Eno Kalash, CPO went to Belgium in 2009 bringing home high participation ratings in the report that reached CIOFF, International Council of Organizations for Folklore Festivals and Folk Art. This leads other festival organizers to offer government assisted exchange programs for CPO’s youth performers and an invitation for CPO to participate in an international festival in Italy in 2011.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant received in 2003 helped the organization in acquiring new sets of costumes and some musical instruments. Today, CPO performers delight its audiences and the communities with its colourful and vivid array of repertoires. Another OTF grant was received in 2008.

In 2001, CPO member Ms. Maria Laset handled the dance instruction. Her caring attitude and dedication inspired the dancers to stay and improve their dancing skills. The dance performance quality was brought to a professional level in 2002 when Ms. Ma. Eleanor Mescallado-Kalash, a former director-dancer of the world renowned Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company, joined CPO as its Artistic and Dance Director. She introduced indigenous and unpublished folk numbers, new staging and choreography, authentic costumes, and Philippine inspired contemporary dance numbers that boosted both the performers and the organization. Starting in 2005, Carlo Lopez and Julius Calum, also from Bayanihan enhanced CPO’s performances by providing live music to its programs.

Culture Philippines of Ontario is very visible in the community. It participates in many charitable events, fundraising and community celebrations. Some notable performances were: Road to Asia Festival jointly sponsored by the Consulate Offices of the Philippines, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries; Mabuhay Festival; Kalayaan Independence Day Picnic; Pista Ng Bayan community celebration, and Philippines – Pearl of the Orient at the Royal Ontario Museum. On its 20th anniversary in 2005. CPO presented an evening benefit concert “Pagkakaisa” at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga to contribute to the building fund of Kalayaan Cultural and Community Centre (KCCC) and to the ANCOP fund (Answering the Cry of The Poor) that are used in building small communities of homes, schools and child sponsorship of the poor in the Philippines and other third world countries. Last year in 2009, CPO provided music in the annual ANCOP-GK Walk sponsored by PIDC in downtown Toronto.

On its 25th year, Culture Philippines of Ontario will continue to dedicate its programs to share the Filipino culture not only to its members but also to the community.