PHILIPPINE CANADIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Profile of Founder
Honourable Senator Tobias C. Enverga Jr, 1st Canadian Senator of Filipino Descent.
Humble Public Servant, Champion of
Multiculturalism, Voice for the Special Needs.
On September, 2012 Tobias was officially sworn in as the first Canadian of Filipino descent to be appointed to the Red Chamber. He became 1 of 5 individuals appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on this day. Senator Tobias continues to advocate for the community and shares his accomplishments with his family and with the Filipino Community. Mabuhay Tayong Lahat!
December, 2008
GMA confers Presidential Award to Jun Enverga
Chairman of the Philippine Presidential Award, Secretary Dante Ang in his speech indicated that there is no higher award that any president of the Philippines has given to any one that is more than the Presidential Award.
Tobias "Jun" Enverga was the only individual among the four awardees who received the very prestigious 2008 Linkapil Award (or Lingkodsa Kapwa Pilipino Presidential Award), the rest are composed of organizations chosen from all over the world. LINKAPIL Award is conferred on Filipino Associations or Individuals for their exceptional or significant contribution to reconstruction, progress and development in the Philippines.
Enverga was commended for his work with various worthy organizations in a number of charitable projects. His work can be summed up with the $440,000 USD Medical Missions, Building School buildings, funding Artesian Wells, funding livelihood training programs to Disaster victims. Help fund the construction of churches and convents, giving donations to Bantay Bata. More recently , the funding of the PIDC Toronto GK Villages in Panganiban, Camarines Norte and Batasan, Quezon City. Jun was the one who coined the slogan,
"The Mission is the Reason!"
His work also includes the assistance to different worthy projects that supports various causes here in Toronto.
In his speech, Jun Enverga declared, "The award is not mine alone, it is an award that is shared by all the people who have passionately and tirelessly supported the many events that we have organized".
The award was given by her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last December 10 at the Rizal Hall in the Malacanang Palace. The presidential citation for Jun proclaims “In conferring the Linkapil Award to Tobias C. Enverga Jr., the president recognizes his patriotism and love for fellow Filipinos through continued delivery of assistance and support by spearheading fundraising campaigns for projects that will benefit his kababayans"
OCTOBER, 2010
Tobias was elected as a Toronto Catholic School Board Trustee.
The first Filipino-Canadian to be elected in the city of Toronto.
MAY, 2012
Tobias received the Queens 60th Jubilee Medal for his contributions to
Canada
FEATURED ARTICLE
THE TALL ORDER
by Mon Datol, August 2013
I had a quick business trip to Ottawa last Sunday that turned out to be one heckuva kind of a jaunt that left me wondering how some Filipino-Canadians could not see how lucky we are for having a kababayan seating in one of those Senate’s important chairs whose role is, well, as important as those in the House of Commons in the law-making process of this wonderful, great nation. I am referring here to Senator Tobias Enverga, Jr. or plain Senator Jun to kababayang Pinoys who was appointed by the Governor General on Prime Minister
Harper’s recommendation, as other members of the Senate have passed thru before being admitted in the Red Chamber, and whose term ends on the Senator’s 75th birthday, or 45 years after a Senator was appointed if he or she was chosen at the age of 30. And if Senator Jun is now 55, well, he’ll be a Canadian Senator for 20 more years. Ang haba ng term, hane po?
*****
Nakakainggit? Sa iba. But not for me. In fact, I am very happy and proud of Senator Jun Enverga’s appointment to the Canadian Senate! You see, I was toured inside the Senate Hall, and the Parliament, by Lars Andersen, the Policy Advisor of Sen. Jun Monday afternoon together with my business partners Cecille Araneta and Eduard Que, Dr. Belle Tumbokon, Sonia Saplada and Willie Terrado of Nature’s Pearl, and I was really enthralled by the atmosphere of uprightness inside the Chamber where the more than a hundred Honorable Senators play important roles in the law-making process of Canada. Lars even pointed to me the chair where Senator Jun is seating. I was so proud that a Filipino is now occupying a seat in the Senate. Nakaka-angat ng dignidad!
Tribute Excerpt from Romy Rafael,
President of Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation 2017----
His passion and drive to help those in need, especially in their time of need shown in his involvement in numerous charitable causes and this is how the PCCF came to be. Before being appointed to the senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he created the PCCF in October 2010, in order to help the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. He was a selfless man who loved his country and genuinely wanted to help the people in it. He was determined to help. He once said in his speech: "We are not afraid to fail". We may fall, stumble and cry, but we will stand up stronger and fulfill our mission to charity. By his example, he inspired people, like myself, to be an advocate for positive change and to help those in need.
In spite of all of his accomplishments, he remained humble and determined to serve his community and fellow countrymen. During the devastation of typhoon Yolanda "Haiyan", he led volunteers and garnered help from the Canadian government to help the victims of this tragedy. He made me promise him to give more houses to the poor. He had a deep understanding the needs of the poor and did everything in his power to advocate for them. He exemplified true leadership. Senator Enverga gave us a sense of purpose- that was the extent of his influence.
There is a saying that goes: “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. Even though you are no longer with us, your spirit will live on through those whose lives you touched. Your legacy will continue and you will forever be in our hearts. May you Rest in Peace Senator. We will miss you.
PAALAM SENATOR
