By Robbie Pangilinan
Manila, Philippines - Retired professor and former Pasay City councillor Tomas
Avendano, fondly called “Tatay Tom” by the Filipino community in Canada, lives
by faith alone.
At 82, Tatay Tom could be living the life he wants. But he chose to live his
life for others. He has not received any salary for 10 years, doing charitable
work instead of raking in money. His wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease, is
staying in a hospital and his children are far away. Tatay Tom has lived alone
in Vancouver for 40 years.
“I have been a victim here in Canada. When I first arrived, I had no idea about
the laws, rules, policies, etcetera. Nobody taught me, nobody helped me. That’s
why I want to help,” Tatay Tom said.
He decided to open a home that will welcome immigrants and give them the
guidance they need for the new lives they will live in Canada. This home was
built in 1996 with the name Filipino Canadian Support Services Society (FCSSS).
It had a drop-in center in Vancouver that served the Filipino community. Four
years after, the Society started to serve all cultural communities and in 2001,
the FCSSS was renamed the Multicultural Helping House Society.
Community and government support helped MHHS raise enough money for a one-stop
center for newcomers, a 3,000 square-feet, three-level facility with temporary
accommodation for newly arrived immigrants and live-in caregivers, offices for
program staff, counseling and meeting space, and multipurpose rooms for
workshops, training sessions and social events.
A second office was built last year and offered workshops, skills development
program, job creation partnerships, targeted wage subsidies, and self-employment
assistance. The three levels of government – federal, provincial and the City of
Vancouver – noticed the MHHS efforts and helped fund the expansion of the main
center which is now a four-storey building finished last month.
MHHS programs include the Caregivers / Temporary Foreign Workers Program, Youth
Program, Seniors Program, Host Mentoring Program, Fast Track to Employment for
Skilled Immigrants, Skills Connect for Construction and Settlement Services.
For his efforts and for being a father to the Filipinos in Canada, Tatay Tom has
been give the community leadership award by the Filipino Canadian Cultural
Heritage of British Columbia (FCCH).
After so many years, Tatay Tom came home to the Philippines. And on December 20,
he will open the Philippine office of the MHHS in Makati City.
Filipino holders of a Canadian visa will be given a glimpse of what awaits them
in Canada. The MHHS offers pre-departure services that will inform the
immigrants what to expect, how to have a meaningful stay in Canada, and what
laws they need to abide by. When they arrive in Canada, the MHHS in Vancouver
will brief them about the immigrant policy, benefits and incentives from the
government, and do’s and dont’s in living here. The Filipinos can stay at the
MHHS facility for 10 days for free.
Tatay Tom, MHHS President and Chief Executive Officer, believes that we need to
“listen better to one another, learning how we may find what connects us in our
concerns about life, and building bridges that allow us to focus upon
connections rather than disjunctions.”
The Buendia office is owned by Allan Yong, owner of a telecommunications company
based in Vancouver. Yong gave the office space for free, and will also pay the
salary of the two hired staff of MHHS.
Tatay Tom has lived by faith for the past decades. And as he opens the doors of
opportunities to his fellow Filipinos, he holds on to this faith, hoping to
inspire many and encourage them to dream on. #
Telephone 895-7130
www.helpinghouse.org
