Happy Family Day!
One great common value that Filipino’s and Canadian’s share is their value for the family. Family day is officially celebrated as a statutory holiday every third Monday of February in these provinces: New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. This year’s Family Day will fall on the 15th of February.
In Filipino Culture, the family is the basic unit of society that hones an individual. The Family is the integral part of the Philippine society and Filipinos are known to have close family ties. It is not uncommon to see an extended family set up in Filipino households – a nuclear family set up includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Tight family relationships go beyond bloodlines too, Filipinos often include close friends in their core family as honorary members like godparents. Filipino’s are very mindful of their family’s upbringing as it is cited to be the foundation of one’s values. In fact, staple words to show respect like “po” and “opo” are often taught to children at young age, and a cultural norm that is proudly Filipino called “Mano” is done wherein children or younger family members reach the right hand of their elderlies and touch it to their foreheads to show veneration.
Canadian family values are just the same and are reflected in society. Like in Filipino culture, Canadians are known to be polite and respectful. They are mild mannered, and often promote a sense of belongingness to everyone. Canada has been welcoming families from different parts of the world – that is how “extended” the families in Canada are. If there is a need for proof of Canada’s welcoming stature, it is seen on various immigration programs that place high priority for family reunifications and immigration sponsorships for siblings, parents and grandparents. Temporary residents in Canada whose status are either on a working visa or student permit are allowed to bring their spouse and dependent children too. Canada also promotes inclusivity, so even if you move here alone, if you reach out to a Canadian, you’ll surely be treated as family.
