The City of Surrey proclaimed today, June 12, 2020, on the occasion of the 122nd Philippine Independence Day, that June 2020 is Filipino Heritage Month in Surrey. The Proclamation, signed by Mayor Doug McCallum, was emailed this morning to Narima Dela Cruz, President of Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society (SPIDS), the long-time organization of Filipinos in Surrey. It was also mentioned on the posted public hearing agenda at the City of Surrey website on this cache: https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/AGN_RCPH_CURRENT.pdf The Proclamation will be read at the virtual City Council meeting on Monday, June 15th, which happen to be the only Council meeting date for this month.
The official request for Proclamation was submitted by Dela Cruz through the support of Councillor Linda Annis.
The City of Surrey is home to more than 33, 000 Filipinos, according to the 2016 census data of Statistics Canada. Many members of the community work in the healthcare, manufacturing, food, retail, and hospitality industry – the essential and frontline workers of these pandemic times. SPIDS is honouring the Filipino Heritage Month by doing a month-long blood donation drive for Canadian Blood Services. IIn his daily briefing to Canadians this morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted some of the great works of Filipino-Canadians during these trying times, including the blood donation drive of the Filipino Community in Surrey.