Congressional commendation for first Filipino-Canadian Senator sought

Senator Enverga at the Agincourt Senior Service Centre

MANILA — A resolution bestowing commendation and congratulations to Filipino-Canadian Senator Tobias C. Enverga is now under consideration by the House of Representatives.

Authored by Rep. Eric L. Olivarez (1st District, Parañaque City), House Resolution 1987 commends Enverga for becoming the first Filipino-Canadian to be appointed to the Upper House of Parliament in Canada.

“Senator Enverga can be regarded as a Historical figure for being the first ever Filipino-Canadian Senator,” Olivarez said.

Enverga was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2012 to represent Ontario in the Senate. At the time of his appointment, Enverga was the project manager of the Bank of Montreal. His 30-year tenure at the Bank of Montreal started from the bottom of the corporate ladder. He first worked at the mail room, rose through the ranks, and became project manager for the IT department before his appointment as Senator.

Enverga also served as school trustee of the Toronto Catholic District Board in 2010, making him “the first Filipino-Canadian to be elected to the public office in Toronto, Canada.”

He is an active community leader in Toronto. He served as director of Canadian Multicultural Center – Asians in Ontario and Co-Chair of the Asian Heritage Month Celebration for the Greater Toronto Area. He is also the founder of the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation and the former president of the Philippine Independence Day Council.

For his advocacies and works in many socio-civic organizations, Enverga was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. The medal commemorates the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne.

“Senator Enverga is a representation of Filipinos in the Canadian community who serves as an inspiration to many. Therefore, his mark of excellence has to be recognized and commended,” Olivarez said.

Enverga was born to a middle-class family in Lucena City, Quezon. He was a recipient of the “Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino” (LINKAPIL) presidential award in 2008 given by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.