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Calgary·Filipino Bureau

Discover more great stories and videos about the Filipino community in Calgary and southern Alberta

CBC Calgary is celebrating the Filipino community with a new pop-up bureau dedicated to meeting our neighbours across the city and telling their stories.

CBC Calgary Pop-up Bureau series meets our Filipino neighbours to share their stories.

Will Tigley · CBC Communications ·
CBC Calgary is gathering stories from the Filipino community and celebrating our city's unique culture. (CBC)

CBC Calgary is celebrating the Filipino community with a new Pop-up Bureau dedicated to meeting our neighbours across the city and telling their stories.

Over the next few months, CBC Calgary reporters will meet with members of the Filipino community and immerse themselves in the culture of one of the city's fastest growing ethno-cultural groups.

This is an opportunity to reflect stories within our community that represent our diverse city. The series will explore people, culture and perspectives within the Filipino community for an experience that can reflect the cultural mosaic that defines Calgary.

  • Have a story the Filipino Pop-up Bureau should focus on? Click here to pitch your story.

Featured stories:

The Homestretch5:28Calgary cosplayers talk about their passion
The CBC's Danielle Nerman introduces us to three Filipino-Calgarians who are passionate about Disney cosplay. 5:28
Gerd (left) and Elaine Schmidt (right) babysat Dominic Judilla when he was an infant so his mother, Dixie Marie, could go back to her temporary foreign worker job at the Dairy Queen in Claresholm, Alta. (Submitted by Dixe Marie Judilla)
Ivo Santos (New Saint) and Jasmine Monton (Audder) make up half of the Calgary music collective Zero Future Club. (Chika Osike/Jasmine Monton)
'If couples are not happy with each other, they just have to decide to separate,' says Calgary social worker Francia Bodoso. (Shutterstock/HTWE)
Calgary Eyeopener9:45Unconventional Panel - Internet Access featuring Vangie Caoile
If our internet and cellphone bills head skyward once Rogers takes over Shaw, should the government step in to compete? The Unconventional Panel debates. 9:45
The tinikling dance (right) is named after the tikling bird. (Shutterstock/Rodel Lozano Photography)
Noel Amante joins a discussion on millennials turning 40 in 2021 (Submitted)
Vanessa Wedge is a Calgary cosplayer and a member of the city’s Filipino community. (Walt Disney Animation Studios/Submitted by Vanessa Wedge)
Calgarian Aurora Dacanay moved to Alberta in 1965 to work as a teacher in Taber. (Submitted by Aurora Dacanay)
Calgary Eyeopener5:07Filipino pioneers
We hear from some of the first Filipinos to immigrate to Alberta. 5:07
The Homestretch7:33Paglalayag documentary highlights Filipino history in Alberta
Paglalayag is the Tagalog word for voyage or journey. It's also the title of a new documentary screening for free this weekend about Filipino migrants in Alberta. The film chronicles the lives of nurses, teachers, caregivers and temporary foreign workers from the 1960s to today. It's the culmination of years of interviews and research collected by Ida Beltran-Lucila. She's the president of the Philippine Arts Council in Edmonton and joins us on the line to talk about the documentary. 7:33
  • WATCH | Meet Maria Galura, a Filipina Balloon artist

Meet the balloon artist behind colourful installations popping up around Calgary

CBC News Calgary

1 month ago
2:34
Maria Galura is bringing joy to our city while connecting with her roots. Her latest work can be seen at the Chinook Blast festival happening in downtown Calgary. 2:34
Calgary Eyeopener7:06Balloon designer
We meet a Calgary engineer who is making larger than life balloon sculptures. 7:06
Food boxes filled with Filipino favourites, like pancit canton instant noodles. (Brian Morales/Nimbly Market)
Roxanne Singlot, Heather Resendes and Angelica Torres represent a new generation of Filipino youth in Calgary with a new perspective on their community. (Submitted by Singlot/Resendes/Torres)
Malaya Marcelino, MLA for Winnipeg Notre Dame, Mable Elmore, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington and Jocelyn Curteanu, City Councillor for Whitehorse represent the growing number of Filipino politicians across Canada. (gov.mb.ca, leg.bc.ca, whitehorse.ca)
Ernie Alama is a professor at St. Mary's University in the faculty of education (Submitted by Ernie Alama)
Calgary Eyeopener5:06Meet Jessalyn Wanlim, Calgary Filipina actress starring in CBC Series, Workin' Moms
Workin' Moms season five premieres tonight. We check in with a Calgary actor returning to the show. 5:06
Calgary Filipina actress, Jessalyn Wanlim, continues her role on the 5th season of Workin' Moms TV series. (CBC)
Bea Gan, Giselle Dino and Julie Alati-it discuss the pressures of growing up in a Filipino family. (Submitted by Bea Gan, Giselle Dino and Alex Ramadan)
  • WATCH | How a nearly forgotten Filipino writing style was brought back from the brink

How a nearly forgotten Filipino writing style was brought back from the brink

CBC News Calgary

2 months ago
4:02
Baybayin is making a comeback, becoming "cool" again with help from young Filipinos exploring their identity with tattoos and shirts. 4:02
Darwin Doloque, 35, died after contracting COVID-19 through his work at the Olymel pork plant in Red Deer, Alta. (GoFundMe, CBC)
Harlijk Mirasol, Riza Santos and Elisha Ventura discuss how the pageant scene is thriving in Calgary. (Submitted by Harlijk Mirasol, Riza Santos and Elisha Ventura)
J.B. Anilao cooks Filipino adobo for her family in her northeast home. She says cooking is helping with homesickness. (Submitted by J.B. Anilao)
The art form is familiar in many films and in Alberta there are Grandmasters who are keeping the national martial art of the Philippines alive. (Paul Karchut (CBC))
Filipino Grade 12 student, Dominic Del Rosario, joins the conversation about grad celebrations being cancelled in 2021. (The Associated Press)
The Homestretch8:01Calgary students prepare for strange graduation
For the second year in a row, Calgary school boards have cancelled grad ceremonies and parties because of COVID-19. We talk to two students about what that means for them. 8:01
Joy Tajanlangit (left) owns a store in Calgary that helps the Filipino community send remittances back to the Philippines, a practice that hasn't dropped much in Canada since the pandemic hit. Plus we explain what's happening with GameStop and the stock market. And take a look at how Canada's job market isn't recovering equally for all. (Submitted by Joy Tajanlangit, The Associated Press)
The Homestretch7:34COVID-19 Fun-demic
Calgary writer Romeo Honorio has written a new interactive book looking at the lighter side of the pandemic called "COVID-19 Fun-demic". He joins us to talk about the project. 7:34
Cesar Cala has a passion for civic engagement and community empowerment. (Submitted by Cesar Cala)
Winston Gaqui, Rinna Lamano and Rosman Valencia were recognized as essential worker heroes by their local community. (Submitted by Winston Gaqui, Rinna Lamano, Rosman Valencia)
These are some of the Zodiac-inspired looks that Calgarian Bryan Francisco created using handmade plastic head pieces, clay, airbrushes and gold-flecked paint and posted on his Instagram feed bryan.mua. (Bryan Mua Instagram)
Musician Carl Flores, former guitarist for the band Lovecore in The Philippines. (Eric Epie)
Vangie Caoile, chair for Fiesta Filipino, Alberta's largest Filipino organization. (Rodel Lozano)
Edz Cultura is a guitarist for Calgary-based band Deep South Project as well as a number of other Filipino rock and reggae bands. (Keyt Montevirgen)
Edwin Chavez is one of the cultural brokers who helps connect those in need with help in their own language. (Julie Debeljak/CBC)
The Homestretch8:07Filipino speed meeting
Jaqs Gallos Aquines, the founder of Bahaghari and the organizer of the Lactose-free Q-T-BIPOC Platonic Nog Online Speed Meeting event, talks about connecting members of the 2SLGBTQ+ Filipino community. 8:07
Joe Corral worked at Bethany Riverview in Calgary, a care centre designed to support people with complex dementia. (Joe Corral/Facebook)
An expanding presence and the addition of new generations has led to some changes in the Simbang Gabi celebrations at St. Anthony's, Vargas says, with Christmas carols mixed in. (Mike Symington/CBC)
Mike Juarez says the Noche Buena Christmas Hampers are meant to bring the spirit of joy from the motherland of the Philippines. (CBC)
Mary Kate Aquino, a student at Mount Royal University, sings as a soloist during a Simbang Gambi service at St. Anthony's. (Mike Symington/CBC)

Video stories:

  • WATCH | Zodiak makeup series brings millions of views to Calgary artist trending on TikTok

Zodiac makeup series brings millions of views to Calgary artist trending on TikTok

CBC News Calgary

3 months ago
3:35
CBC's Paul Karchut talks to Bryan Francisco about the overwhelming response to his series that brings Zodiac signs to life through makeup and a ton of creativity. 3:35
  • WATCH | Christmas hampers bring Filipino comforts of home to newcomers

Christmas hampers bring Filipino comforts of home to newcomers

3 months ago
2:11
This year, the cultural group called Fiesta Filipino decided to bring the comforts of home to some Filipino families who now call Calgary home. 2:11
  • WATCH | Celebrating 'Simbang Gabi' a bit differently this year

Celebrating 'Simbang Gabi' a bit differently this year

CBC News Calgary

4 months ago
1:58
Take a listen to some of the sounds of an annual tradition that had to change with the pandemic. 1:58
  • WATCH | Behind the mic at Calgary's Filipino radio stations

Behind the mic at Calgary's Filipino radio stations

CBC News Calgary

4 months ago
1:13
Meet some of the voices broadcasting over Calgary's radio waves with a focus on the city's large Filipino population, and why some hope to see changes to bring in a younger audience. 1:13
  • WATCH | How this Calgary basketball player helps others chase the dream he lived

How this Calgary basketball player helps others chase the dream he lived

CBC News Calgary

4 months ago
4:02
Kelvin dela Peña left Calgary as a teen to become a professional basketball player in the Philippines. While his time in the big leagues was cut short when he suffered a catastrophic back injury, it inspired him to create a program for kids of all ages: Rise Up Basketball. 4:02
  • WATCH | How Nimbly market was inspired by home-based Filipino convenience stores

How Nimbly Market was inspired by home-based Filipino convenience stores

CBC News Calgary

4 months ago
1:55
There's a new app in town, and it connects Calgarians with home-based grocery stores that have some special imports from the Philippines. 1:55
  • WATCH | Parols for the Philippines: These Calgarians hope the light of the lanterns will brighten the lives of families half a world away

Parols for the Philippines

CBC News Calgary

5 months ago
2:54

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Will Tigley

Senior Communications Officer

Will Tigley is a professional communicator specializing in storytelling, community building and content development. He enjoys connecting with people and building lasting relationships as well as sharing engaging, hidden community stories. Born and raised in Calgary, he is an active member within the Filipino community volunteering for Fiesta Filipino and Mabuhay Calgary News and has been a guest on the Calgary Eyeopener. In his spare time, you can find him eating his way through Calgary’s food scene, exploring the city’s outdoor fitness activities, or discovering a new graphic novel. If you have a story suggestion about the Filipino community in Calgary or Alberta, you can reach Will at will.tigley@cbc.ca or @wtigley on Twitter.

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