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List of Filipino Canadians

This is a list of Filipino Canadians who have made significant contributions to Canadian culture, politics, or society. It also includes those with notable mentions in Canadian media.

Academia

Arts and letters

Dance

  • AC Bonifacio – dancer/female member of Lucky Aces
  • Maribeth Manalaysay Tabanera aka Kilusan – artist, abolitionist educator and community organizer
  • Alvin Erasga Tolentino – choreographer and dance artist

Graphic arts

Visual arts

Journalism

Literature

Theater

Business

Fashion and pageantry

Pageants

Labour

  • Juliet Cuenco – rights activist, public servant
  • Columbia 'Coco' Diaz – program manager for Intercede, an Ontario advocacy group for domestic workers
  • Don Garcia – ILWU Canada president
  • Virginia Guiang-Santoro – founder of Filipino Domestic Workers Association of Manitoba
  • Ging Hernandez – advocate for domestic care workers and women's rights activist
  • Juana Tejada – caregiver who campaigned for overseas Filipino workers' (OFW) and immigrants' rights in Canada
  • Pura Velasco – advocate for caregivers
  • Fely Villasin – advocate for domestic workers, caregivers and new immigrants, founder/artistic director of Carlos Bulosan Theatre

Health Science

  • Eileen de Villa – Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto
  • Gigi Osler – president of the Canadian Medical Association

Politics

  • Cris Aglugub – Manitoba former NDP MLA, the Maples (1999–2007), former Legislative Assistant to the Minister of Labour and Immigration, and subsequently to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade.
  • Carl Benito – former MLA for Edmonton-Mill Woods (2008–2012)
  • Lisa Bower – Councillor for Town of Ajax, Ontario (2018–present).
  • Yvonne Clarke – first Filipina MLA (Portercreek 2021–present) in the Yukon Legislative Assembly
  • Jelynn Dela Cruz – Member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for Radisson
  • Narima dela Cruz – community organizer
  • Mable Elmore – first Filipina-Canadian MLA in BC (NDP) (2009–present), current Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care (2020–present), former Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction of British Columbia (2017–2020), former Spokesperson for Temporary Foreign Workers and Immigration and former the Deputy Spokesperson for Finance
  • Tobias C. Enverga – first Filipino-Canadian Senator (Conservative); first Filipino-Canadian elected to the City of Toronto in 2010 (to the Toronto Catholic District School Board as trustee)
  • Taciana Jew – first Filipino citizenship judge in Ontario
  • Flor Marcelino – first Filipino woman and racialized woman elected MLA in Manitoba (2007–2019), former Leader of the Opposition (2016–2017), Minister of Multiculturalism and Literacy (2013–2016), and Minister of Culture, Heritage, and Tourism (2009–2013)
  • Malaya Marcelino – MLA in Manitoba- Notre Dame (2019)
  • Ted Marcelino – former MLA in Manitoba, first MLA for the electoral district of Tyndall Park (2011–2019)
  • Rey Pagtakhan – first Filipino-Canadian Member of Parliament (1988–2004), first Filipino-Canadian Cabinet Minister (2001–2004), former Minister of Western Economic Diversification(2003–2004),Minister of Veterans Affairs (2002–2003), Senior Minister for Manitoba (2002–2004),Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) (2002–2003), and Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) (2001–2002).
  • Jon Reyes – Conservative MLA (St. Norbert 2016–2019, Waverley 2019–present) and Minister of Economic Development and Jobs in Manitoba (2020–present), former special envoy for military affairs
  • Conrad Santos – first Filipino Canadian elected in Canada (elected as MLA in Manitoba (1981–1988, 1990–2007), and first Filipino Canadian to run for the leadership of a political party (Manitoba NDP, 1989)
  • Rowena Santos – first Filipino councillor in City of Brampton, Vice Chair of Audit and Risk, and Chair of Community Services (2018–present)
  • Rechie Valdez – first Filipina woman elected MP, current MP for Mississauga-Streetsville, first Filipina-Canadian Cabinet Minister
  • Tany Yao – Conservative MLA in Alberta in the riding of Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (2015)

Sports

Television and film

Television

Reality show

Film

Internet

Disc jockeys

  • Mark Anthony – co-launched the web-based music label Dark Panties Recordings

Music

Other

  • Benson Flores – first known Filipino immigrant to Canada on record
  • Christina Calayca – daycare worker who mysteriously disappeared on a camping trip in August 2007
  • Erik Mana – professional magician and mentalist
  • Jeff Rustia – executive director & founder of Toronto Men's Fashion Week
  • Japoy Lizardo – former taekwondo athlete
  • Rhea Santos – newscaster, journalist
  • Henry Omaga Diaz – YouTuber, former newscaster journalist

References