First photo is of students dressed up in traditional Filipino dress for the Filipino Cultural Heritage Month Mass and Expose. Second photo is of students, staff and parents picking traditional Filipino food to eat from the buffet spread. Third photo is a of a student reciting a prayer at the podium.

Heritage Celebrations

Filipino Canadian Heritage​​​ Month

Banner for Filipino Canadian Heritage Month. On the left are the words "JUNE IS FILIPINO CANADIAN HERITAGE MONTH" with the circular TCDSB logo underneath. Below it is the Bible quote "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love." from Ephesians 3:17. On the right is a graphic consisting of the San Agustin Church, the Mount Mayon volcano, a vector map of the Philippines, a colourful jeepney bus and the Philippines national flag, with the text "Reconnecting With Our Filipino Roots" above the graphic like a banner.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) has proclaimed June 12 as Filipino Heritage Day and June as Filipino Heritage Month in the TCDSB annually, with elementary and secondary schools encouraged to celebrate Filipino Heritage with educational events and lessons.

This month acknowledges the long and rich history of Filipino Canadians and their contributions to Canada. It also provides an opportunity for Canadians across the country to celebrate the contributions Filipinos have made in enriching the diversity and social fabric in Ontario and across Canada.

The theme for this year's Filipino Canadian Heritage​​​ Month is Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope.

Filipino Heritage Day

June 12 is Filipino Heritage Day. Learn more about how we celebrate this day.

Celebratory Video

Community Events

Proclamation

Refer to the following Filipino Canadian Heritage​​​ Month proclamation:

Scholarships

The following scholarships are available:

Resources

We have developed a range of resources related to Filipino heritage.

Visit Filipino Heritage Month Website

Photo Gallery

Learn more about the Filipino heritage via this photo gallery:

Sorbetes is the traditional variation of ice cream made in the Philippines. It is distinct from the similarly named sorbet. Peddled by “sorbeteros”, it is usually served with small wafer or sugar cones and bread buns. It is uniquely made from either coconut milk or ordinary milk.
The Carabao (Filipino: Kalabaw) is a swamp-type domestic water buffalo native to the Philippines. They were probably introduced to the Philippines by Malay immigrants around 300 to 200 BC. It has been declared as national animal of the Philippines due to its aid in the First Philippine Revolution.
The Philippine tarsier, known locally as mawmag in Cebuano/ Visayans and mamag in Luzon, is a species of tarsier endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly on the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.
The Philippine eagle, also known as the monkey-eating eagle or great Philippine eagle, is an eagle of the family Accipitridae endemic to forests in the Philippines. It is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface. Among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world, it has been declared the Philippine national bird
Filipinos throughout history have adored the sweet fragrance of sampaguita. A member of the jasmine family, its sweetsmelling flowers can be used for perfumes and tea, but is more commonly used in the Philippines as adornments, garlands, or crowns, usually being sold outside churches and on the streets.
The EDSA Shrine is a small church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila located at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Quezon City. It is also called the Archdiocesan Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace. It was built in 1989 to commemorate the People Power Revolution.
El Nido is a Philippine municipality on Palawan island. It is known for white-sand beaches, coral reefs and as the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago, a group of islands with steep karst cliffs. It is famed for the clear waters of its lagoons.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is a Filipino saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. A Chinese-Filipino, he became the country's protomartyr after his execution in Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate during its persecution of Japanese Christians in the 17th century.
Saint Pedro Calungsod aka Peter Calungsod and Pedro Calonsor, was a Roman Catholic Filipino migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist who, along with the Spanish Jesuit missionary Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom in Guam for their missionary work in 1672
Knowing the Filipino Heritage - Photo of a boy taking a horse carriage ride
A kalesa (aka carromata, caritela or karitela) is a horse-drawn calash used in the Philippines. It was one mode of transportation introduced to the islands in the 18th century by Spanish colonizers, and was initially reserved for only nobles and highranking civic officials.
Jeepney (Filipino: Dyipni), sometimes called simply jeep (Filipino: dyip), is the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines.
Intramuros, or the ‘Walled City’, was built by the Spaniards, more specifically by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, in 1571, is situated on the southern bank of river Pasig, and is one of Manila’s oldest districts.
Taal Volcano (Filipino: Bulkang Taal) is a complex volcano in Taal Lake in Luzon, Philippines. It is the second most active volcano in the Philippines with 33 historical eruptions
Mayon Volcano (Bulkang Mayon) or Mount Mayon, is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol Region, island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the most active volcano, which is popular for its perfect cone.
Rizal Park (Filipino: Liwasang Rizal), also known as Luneta, is a historical urban park in the Philippines. Located along Roxas Blvd, Manila, adjacent to Intramuros, it is one of the largest urban parks in Asia. It is a major tourist attraction of Manila
Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur is a beautiful amazing street surrounded by houses built during the Spanish time. It is one perfect place for a tour of the past, being surrounded by old houses. It is also called “The Heritage Village”.
The Banaue Rice Terraces (Filipino: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan) are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. They are frequently called the “8th Wonder of the World"
The Lapu-Lapu shrine is a 20-meter bronze statue in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines, erected in honor of Lapu-Lapu, a native leader who defeated Spanish soldiers led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 1521 Battle of Mactan
Boracay is a small island in the Philippines located about 315 km south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies
Our Lady of Peñafrancia is a representation of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in Naga City, Bicol, Philippines. The image is currently housed at the Peñafrancia Basilica where every September is held for the novena festivities ending with a fluvial parade in honor of the lady as the principal Patroness and Queen of Bicol.
The Paco Park (or Paco Cemetery) is a recreational garden and was once Manila's municipal cemetery built by the Dominicans during the Spanish colonial period. It is a favorite wedding venue located in Padre Faura St., Paco, Manila, Philippines.
The Santo Niño de Cebú is a Roman Catholic title and religious image of the Child Jesus widely venerated as miraculous by Filipino Catholics. It is one of the oldest Christian relics in the Philippines, originally given in 1521 as a gift by explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon & his wife when he landed on the island