The piece is good in terms of bringing to the public some of the more apparent issues such as violence that are being experienced by our Filipino youth in Canada. What it fails to show is a deeper understanding of the underlying issues such as the barriers we face as Filipinos in Canada that have led up to the circumstances that the youth find themselves in. Why are these kids on the street in the first place? The segment never really takes a good look at the barriers that are in place which are typically the root cause of not just the precarious situation with our youth, but as well as the economic marginalization of our community.

I think, to better understand the real issues at hand is to research more into the community. This article does go more in depth as to why these issues are even occurring:

http://www.magkaisacentre.org/2009/09/filipino-youth-urgently-call-to-stop-street-violence-in-cote-des-neiges/

the lack of space only speaks for the physical aspect -- the issue is not just the lack of a basketball court... otherwise, it would be easy, throw a few more into cote-des-neiges and the problem is solved. what the youth also lack other recreational spaces, integration programs, tutorials, counseling...these kids are mostly sons/daughters of the live-in caregiver program, which separates them from their mothers from 6-12 years... wherein their mothers are exploited and the children reunite damaged by their experience. canada should allow these women to sponsor their families right away and also recognize their degrees... in other words, scrap this federal racist anti-woman immigration policy. canada is preying on cheap skilled labour and the youth are obviously getting affected too. it's funny how that family sponsorships were more available in the 60s/70s -- this is regressive and so this is what you get... troubled youth. the effect of migration. look at other immigrant communities and they also have trouble integrating.

it's not just a turf war, there are intricately more problems...

I came here at the age of 13 from the homeland. I grew up in the suburbs and was sheltered from that kind of hard life. My parents never wanted us to grow up in that neighborhood even though we pleaded initially after arriving in the country. We both felt awkward and different from others, especially in my area. We wanted to have a security blanket. I am thankful for my parents giving me a chance to adjust first rather than the opposite. Although of course I can not say the same for everybody who lives in the suburbs since i can not of course assume that this is a fact.

Although my ultimate goal is for my daughter to have strong sense of identity and more so regarding her own culture, segragation always leads to some type of hate which what I somewhat see in areas where a certain ethnic community congregates. Almost always you see these type of scenarios. I think that area in particular is still that same security blanket when I was a child to many, even today.

What I am trying to say is if you want to be understood, you have to leave your comfort zone and open yourself up to others. If someone has to open up first let it be you.

Being a united community does not neccessarily mean to separate yourself from others nor does one have to congregate in one place at all times. You can be in touch with your culture even if you are far from the homeland or that pseudo basecamp most immigrants set up once settled in an adoptive country.

A lot of older immigrants, be it Filipino, Chinese, Jewish, have almost always found a haven, the suburbs but almost always after living the city life. I remember my uncle telling me the same exact story but back in the 60's and 70's. He lives 10 blocks from me. No matter which culture you belong, no matter which country, if you live in a crowded city you always run into these same type of problems. Back home I remember turf wars as well. Same old problem, same type of scenario.

I hope to see many other aspects from Mark Kelley's show. Hopefully, since I opened up, I sincerely hope the show would do the same. Like Tracy said, this is just the tip of the iceberg or the leche flan on my Halo-halo.