Page 17 - LM Confidential Issue November 2014

Toronto Catholic District
School Board Establishes
Filipino Advisory Body
SECOND CHANCES
Disgraced Pinoy designer found redemption in US
By: Tony A. San Juan, OCT
to have a show. A friend of mine asked me to do a show in his gallery and a fashion representative saw my work and after that I got an offer, a gig doing one of Katy Perry’s costumes for the Dark Horse music video,” he said.
Early this year, he became the first Filipino designer to stage a show at One World Trade Center in New York.
Three years ago, he thought his career was over. Quinones lost money, friends and clients and his reputation as a successful designer, when it was revealed that he had
passed off a department store-bought suit as his own creation in order to make a deadline. Even after making amends in public by apologizing, the scandal that ensued brought
him and his business down.
After he failed to bounce back in the
Philippine fashion world, he decided to come to America to start over.
He said he never thought the day would come that he would smile again.
Deeply shamed and humiliated after the scandal at his lowest point, he even thought of ending his life.
But through his faith and family, he found the determination to recover.
TORONTO - Good news and good tidings. Proudly and honoured, the Filipino Canadian community in Toronto has enviable reason to rejoice with great hope, enthusiasm and expectation regarding the critical de- cision made by the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the largest Catholic school system in North America, to establish and employ
a Filipino Advisory Committee( F.A.C.) with Terms of Reference to meet its goals and mandate.
At a penultimate session of the incumbent Board of Trustees held
on October 9, 2014 at the Catholic Education Centre the Trustees, after 3 hours of serious deliberations, gave the green light to the organization of the Advisory Body. This was real- ized after numerous representations and meetings, initiated and led by TCDSB Ward 8 Trustee Garry Tanu- an and the charter officers of Filipino Canadian Parents Association in Catholic Education ( FCPACE) with the school board’s education director, superintendents and senior staff.
FCPACE, organized in November, 2013, played a vital role in reach-
ing this important milestone in the FilCan Catholic community. The current officers are Chair Kit Galema, Vice-chair Marla Tanuan, Secretary Ruth Oliveros, Treasurer Randy Bucao, and Directors Paulina Cor- puz, Manny & Gina Lim, Eugene
& Jeng Guiyab and Tony San Juan. The members include: Joey Abrenilla, Myrna Alforte, Biel Andrada, Ronnie Dela Gana, Ernie Del Rosario, Susan Llanera, Joel Pine, Cheryll San Juan, Jocelyn San Juan, Helen Soares, Zeny Uy, and Emmanuel Yanga,
In support of the ratification
before the historic vote, collective delegations and passionate presenta- tions were made before the Board
of Trustees. Among the 7 speakers were Francisco Galema, Christine Manrique and her son, Joshua, Jeffrey Oliveros, Maria Guiao, Liphayette Hilado and Tony San Juan. Those who provided moral support and solid encouragement with their presence were Joey Abrenilla , Manuel Men- doza Ching and Paulina Corpuz , Catholic school trustee candidates for Wards 5 , 9 and 12, respectively. Also in attendance were Benson Corpuz, Tina Galema, Dario Guiao, Gina & Manny Lim, Joseph Manrique and Sonny Paragas.
With almost one student of Fili- pino heritage out of 5 in all Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Toronto, it was just fitting and proper that the largest Catholic school board in terms of student population, is able to recognize the significance of having an advisory council of Filipino Canadians, contributing and working through purposeful engagements with Catholic parents, students, educators, church & community leaders and other stakeholders in propagating our cherished Catholic faith, values and principles. As well, the new advisory group aims and hopes to participate productively and collaborate profes- sionally with the school board in achieving desirable student suc-
cess, well-being and performance in Catholic education.(T.San Juan).
Tony A.San Juan,OCT tnysanjuan@yahoo.ca
CALIFORNIA - A Filipino designer who was once embroiled in fashion scandal is now making a comeback in the US.
The creations of Filipino fashion designer Puey Quinones took center stage at a recent episode of “America’s Next Top Model.”
“My concept was very Filipino. It’s very tribal. I used Philippine materials like abaca. It’s very overwhelming hearing my name as a designer and seeing my pieces,” Quinones said.
His recent success is just one of many in the short time that Quinones was working in the US.
He also shared how he ended up designing one of music superstar Katy Perry’s costumes. “When I went to LA, my first plan was just
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Filipino Renal Nurses
Filipino Renal Nurses Assocaition of Ontario donated $2,000.00 to Jose Querubin ,Vice President Gawad Kalinga for re-building the houses of Philippines Typhoon victims, community health and child development.
NOVEMBER 2014 L. M. Confidential
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