Three Filipino Canadians are running for council seats in British Columbia’s communities of Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey.

Lina Vargas, a Vancouver city council candidate, initially came to Canada as a caregiver before working as a healthcare aide and a hairstylist. Vargas was moved by how Filipino Canadians in healthcare stood forward to assist Canada during the epidemic. She feels that by holding office, she can have an impact.

“Nakita naman natin during the pandemic, trumabaho talaga yung Pilipino lalo na sa healthcare,” Vargas, who is running as an independent candidate, said. ” May magagawa na hindi magagawa ng ibaMarami tayong nakikita na hindi nakikita nila because yung ating background, sanay tayo na sumagupa ng anumang hirap at sakripisyo.”

(During the epidemic, we saw how hard Filipinos worked, especially in healthcare. We can accomplish something that others cannot. As a result of our upbringing, we are accustomed to adversity and sacrifice.)

Maita Santiago, a municipal council candidate in Burnaby, is running with the Burnaby Citizens Association. As a constituency assistant to Filipino Canadian MP Mable Elmore and a former secretary general of Migrante International while she was in the Philippines in the early 2000s, she is well-versed in public affairs.

Santiago is also the president of the Mabuhay House Society, which is responsible for the Filipino Cultural Center project in Vancouver.

“I think panahon na talaga na meron din tayong kinatawan na may boses kaya tumakbo ako para madala ko, madala natin ang ating mga stories and challenges doon mismo sa city hall,” Santiago remarked.

Maita Santiago, a municipal council candidate in Burnaby, is running with the Burnaby Citizens Association. As a constituency assistant to Filipino Canadian MP Mable Elmore and a former secretary general of Migrante International while she was in the Philippines in the early 2000s, she is well-versed in public affairs. Santiago is also the president of the Mabuhay House Society, which is responsible for the Filipino Cultural Center project in Vancouver.

“I think panahon na talaga na meron din tayong kinatawan na may boses kaya tumakbo ako para madala ko, madala natin ang ating mga stories and challenges doon mismo sa city hall,” Santiago remarked.

(I feel it is past time for us to have a representative with a voice, therefore I ran so that we could convey our experiences and issues directly to city hall..)