Vancouver
Controversy surrounds effort to build centre
Analysis
Teodoro ‘Ted’ Alcuitas
Editor, PhilippineCanadianNews.Com
The BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sports is stepping in to resolve the brewing controversy surrounding the proposed Filipino Community Centre, PhilippineCanadianNews.Com (PCN) has learned. A meeting with the two groups is taking place this Thursday, (August 10, 2023). No response from the Minister to confirm the meeting has been received at time of posting.
Less than four months after the Filipino-Canadian non-profit group Mabuhay House Society received a $250,000 grant from the provincial government, it is now embroiled in a controversy as to who should run the initiative.
Sources close to PCN who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said that Mabuhay has been in “chaos” as it tries to deal with efforts from another group to wrest control of the initiative. The group, styling themselves as Filipino Canadian Community & Cultural Society of British Columbia has just registered as a Charitable Society. It was initially known as ‘Filipino BC’ and has been in support of the community centre all along.
Former allies now opposing each other
Yet, former allies cannot seem to agree as what is the best way to go about in establishing a community centre. A Mabuhay source claimed that Mable Elmore should have maintained an”arms-length” relationship with them to maintain their autonomy or independence.
“I’ve said that I’m here to support it and [the] initiatives and activities in the community,” Elmore told ABS-CBN News in an interview, directly avoiding the question of duplication of work by the two groups.
PCN has reached out to Elmore who acknowledged our request by leaving her phone number but could not reach her at the time of posting. We also reached out to RJ Aquino of Filipinos BC and Joel Castillo of United Filipino Canadian Associations in British Columbia (UFCABC) but both did not respond at posting.
Other groups wait in the wings, key players in the quest
Looming in the background of all this controversy are other groups vying to build the ‘dream’. There is the National Pilipino Canadian Cultural Centre (NPC3), organized some years ago with an ambitious plan to build a ‘national’ centre. Some of its key people are also involved with Mabuhay House.
But foremost among the players is the real estate developer Macario ‘Tobi’ Reyes who has been pushing for the project long before it became public.
While he maintains a low profile, Reyes is listed as the co-founder of Mabuhay House in his LinkedIn profile where he posted: “….building Vancouver’s first Filipino Canadian Cultural Centre and the first of its kind globally.” (Italics ours). He is also shown as a partner of Mabuhay House with his company PortaLiving.
A recent report by real estate publication Storeys, reveals that PortaLiving has filed for creditor protection related to its Vancouver project Terrace House.It is touted as the world’s tallest hybrid timber building in the world.
“God willing and if the timing is right, bringing to life a Filipino community centre would be one of the most importants (sic) aspects of my life,” Reyes told The Georgia Straight in an extensive interview in June last year.
With the current controversies about Mabuhay House and his own company’s financial troubles, perhaps the timing is not right for Tobi Reyes.
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It is sad to hear this stunning news. I believe this 2 new organizations with no track records don’t deserves to get that grants . There is a very strong organization who supported the the cultural center project who really works hard to reach out and has track record. It is purely politics .
“GRAB AND CRAB MENTALITY” inherent to Filipino culture is really hard to break. No wonder most of Filipinos are hesitant to engaged in promoting Filipino projects . I am here in Vancouver for 38 years and I see the DIRTY TACTICS of organizations among Filipino Societies . It appears that this Cultural Center Project is mind- blowing taken its history from the past and now has RECAST and DESIGNED to fail once again.
WHOM DE WE TRUST? IT IS A QUESTION OF INTEGRITY.
YOUR BEST FRIEND IS YOUR BEST ENEMY
probably is the finest statement so far that i can signify to this 2 newbie organization competing who gets the grants. I tell you honestly, both of them don’t deserves to come into possession of this grant. The government should look at organization with Integrity, track records, not an affiliation in political seats in our local or national government.