Analysis
Teodoro Alcuitas
AI Content
With only two days remaining prior to the provincial election on October 24, attention turns to the historical prospect of electing another Filipina representative to the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia.
The entry of Lara Honrado as the BC NDP candidate for Vancouver-South Granville has been met with enthusiasm within the Filipino community. Historically, the community has been represented by a single Filipina MLA, Mable Elmore, who has held her seat since 2009 and is currently seeking a fifth consecutive term.
Honrado brings a distinguished background spanning more than two decades of senior leadership in public policy and communications. She is currently affiliated with the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, serving as Special Assistant to Nobel laureate Maria Ressa. She was instrumental in bringing Maria Ressa to speak at UBC’s Chan Center last April.
A former co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ouano Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting human rights defenders internationally, her municipal governance experience includes directing community relations for Vancouver’s longest-serving mayor, Gregor Robertson. In that role, she led strategic initiatives addressing urban planning equity and pandemic emergency responses, and was pivotal in establishing Culture Shift, the City of Vancouver’s 2020–2029 cultural roadmap.
Honrado earned her degree in English and Political Science from the University of California, Irvine.
Current polling indicators suggest the BC NDP maintains a strong probability of retaining the constituency seat. The riding was previously secured by Brenda Bailey, who won the 2024 election with 64% of the vote.
Meanwhile, in the riding of Vancouver-Kensington, Mable Elmore is campaign-focused on securing her fifth term since her initial election in 2009. Analysts widely anticipate an NDP victory in this constituency, which remains a party stronghold. Elmore however, has recently encountered localized scrutiny regarding her alignment with former Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. Elmore, a long-standing advocate for the establishment of a dedicated Filipino Cultural Centre in Vancouver, coordinated efforts with the mayor’s administration, ultimately finalizing an arrangement for a temporary facility housed within the Vancouver Public Library. With the defeat of Sim that arrangement remains in jeopardy.