The Mabuhay House Society will receive $250,000 for planning and public engagement about the development of a provincial cultural centre to celebrate the Filipino community in B.C.

“Our multicultural society is B.C.’s strength and the contributions of the Filipino community in B.C. are an important part of our province’s history, culture and success,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Having a Filipino cultural centre where the community can connect and share their heritage has been a dream of the Filipino community in B.C. for a long time, and it’s exciting to support the work towards making this vision a reality.”

Mabuhay House Society is a not-for-profit organization established to lead planning and community engagement for a provincial Filipino cultural centre.

“Our government is committed to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. “It’s been a long-standing desire to have a physical space for the Filipino community to come together and celebrate culture and heritage. This is an important first step towards creating a community space that gives the Filipino community a place to call home.”

Public engagement among the Filipino community is expected to begin this summer.

“Public engagement is a crucial first step in establishing a cultural centre that highlights the contributions of the Filipino community in B.C.,” said James Infante, co-chair and board member, Mabuhay House Society. “Our society is a strong voice for this key project and this funding underscores the B.C. government’s commitment to bringing this important centre into existence.”

The Province is acting in partnership with people throughout British Columbia with lived experience to make public spaces better and more equitable. In 2022, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities, government introduced the Anti-Racism Data Act to safely collect race-based data and identify where systemic racism is creating barriers.

Quick Facts:

• Filipinos have a long history in British Columbia dating back to the 1880s, when a small community lived on Bowen Island.
• More than 150,000 Filipinos call the province home.
• There are several local Filipino associations, religious and not-for-profit organizations in the province, but no provincial Filipino cultural centre.​

Learn More:

For more information about the Mabuhay House Society, visit: https://mabuhayhouse.squarespace.com/

For more information about B.C.'s Anti-Racism Data Act, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022PREM0027-000673