TORONTO, Canada -- Amid the Philippines’ political and economic difficulties, many Filipinos in North America have not lost the heart to help their kababayan gain a better quality of life. In fact, these trying times provide an opportunity for Filipinos to further share their blessings, not only financially but also with active involvement in programs.
And many have found a reason to hope and a way to concretize their love for the motherland. One of them is Tobias Enverga, Jr., 50, a successful Filipino who has built a wonderful life abroad. Jun is from Lucena City and has always felt a deep attachment to his home country.
His American dream began 25 years ago when he left Lucena and a wealthy family with its share of politicians. Tempered by the difficulties and uncertainties of living in a foreign land, he is now a corporate businessman and has a better life. He lives with his wife Rosemer and their three little kids in the heart of Toronto, Canada.
With dedication and commitment to helping the home country and its people, he now heads the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC), a non-profit umbrella organization of almost three hundred Filipino-Canadian provincial, regional, professional, cultural, and social organizations. PIDC is mainly tasked with the celebration of Philippine Independence Day celebrations with numerous activities that bring together the fourth largest minority group in Canada throughout the year.
“The best way to help the Philippines is to support organizations with social development initiatives or charitable organizations back home,” says Enverga, who has been an instrumental in raising funds for various organizations like Gawad Kalinga, ABS-CBN’s Bantay Bata, the Mary Mother of the Poor Charitable Organization, and many other non-government organizations.
Enverga has also been President of the Lucena City Association of Ontario since 2000. He leads hundreds of Lucenahins living in Canada in supporting different projects and medical missions, giving away relief goods to hundreds of poor families in Quezon Province and other fund raising activities which benefit many hard-up Filipinos.
In its early years, the association distributed a total amount of medicine worth $20,000 and donated medical equipment and supplies worth $500,000 to various hospitals and charitable agencies in the Philippines. Enverga said that the Lucenahins’ quest is to uplift lives of the poor not only in Quezon Province but throughout the country.
With his civic leadership and dedication, Enverga received the Most Outstanding Filipino-Canadian Award in 2001 and 2004.
“I am lucky that people believe in me. My mission in life is to help the poor and the needy. It is good to share [with] others because you will never bring all these things with you when you die,” Enverga said.
Jose Saavedra, Jr.
Like Enverga, Jose Saavedra, Jr. feels a strong sense of connectedness and commitment to the development of poor people in the Philippines.
Saavedra left Leyte and his relatives and migrated to Toronto in the early 1970’s. There he became an active officer of many corporate and civic organizations like the Association of Filipino-Canadian Accountants, Philippine Independence Day Council, the Canadian Multicultural Council of Asians in Ontario, and the Council of Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, to name a few.
Saavedra has also been the President of the Leyteño Association of Ontario since 2001 leading hundreds of Leyteños in Canada to assist social development initiatives for the Philippines. He has been at the forefront of most of the association’s activities since its inception. One of its major activities was fundraising effort for mudslide victims in Ormoc City, Leyte in 1990. He has also made sure to continue programs like medical missions, book donations, fund raising activities, scholarships for the indigent and relief goods missions for the poor in Leyte and beyond.
”I believe that helping the poorest of the poor is the most effective way to build a sense of nationhood among Filipinos,” said Saavedra, who now owns a staffing company, the Triple A Personnel, Inc. based in Toronto.
Both Enverga and Saavedra are active members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Toronto, whose general mission is to secure Filipino-Canadian business growth and community development.
Proud to be Pinoy
Enverga and Saavedra share the same spirit of striving to be a person for others, helping the poor become better stewards of their respective families and communities.
“It’s good to be here (in Canada). But we are proud of our Pinoy roots that’s why we continue to keep the Filipino spirit alive across the miles,” Enverga proudly says.
Saavedra adds: “We also make it a point to involve the youth in every mission, to instill in their minds that they should never forget to help needy people in the Philippines - in doing so, they will never forget their homeland, their real heritage.”
