Jan.-Feb. 2000

Questions or comments? Email Editor Tony P. Fernandez at:
afernan@techie.com

Not everybody cheered in Montreal

(Editor’s note: The following editorial appeared in the January 2001 issue of the Filipino Forum, one of Montreal’s ethnic community newspapers that cater to its immigrant population.)

There’s nothing to cheer about

by Fred C. Magallanes

   We are happy that the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa is watching events and growth of the Filipino community in Montreal as well as the rapprochement between the community and the current city administration.

   But if the embassy is going to honor a Filipino that Filipino should be worth honoring.

   Take the case of the award given to James de la Paz.

   There are times when a whole community can bask in the success of one of its members. But not this time. Filipinos here are not celebrating the honors awarded recently to de la Paz.

   De la Paz, together with three other individuals and one group, has a Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas for what the embassy called in a November 22 press release his “ significant contribution towards addressing the needs and concern of the Filipino community overseas.”

   Specifically, de la Paz received the award for the rezoning of the lot where the Philippine Community Center is situated, the installation of a bust of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal at Mackenzie King Park and the renaming of a park in Montreal after Rizal.

   At first glance, it seems that de la Paz deserves the award.

   But let’s look again.

   Take the first reason-the rezoning. Four years ago, the duplex on Van Horne Ave. in the Cote des Neiges district that is now being used as a community center was in an area zoned only for residences. But because de la Paz’s failure to fulfill an election promise to buy a bigger building in Verdun for use as a center, he convinced the city of Montreal to rezone that specific lot where the duplex is located for business. This enabled de la Paz to convert the residential building into a community center.

   The Philippine Association of Montreal and Suburbs (FAMAS) as an investment to enable it to acquire a bigger place for the activities of the community bought the building. But de la Paz did not want to be criticized as a FAMAS president who reneged on his election promise to buy a larger building so he converted the house into a community center without consulting the membership of FAMAS.

   Having a building rezoned is not something for which one wins an award. If that were the case, my Cambodian friend who for years has been having buildings rezoned for his community should also receive an award from his homeland. But he has not received an award from the leader of Cambodia.

   If it was de la Paz alone who had Rizal’s bust installed at Mackenzie King Park, then by all means he should be given an award. But Bert Abiera, Tony P. Fernandez and other Rizalistas in Montreal were the ones who broke ground for the installation of the Rizal bust.

   If it was a group effort why was de la Paz singled out for the award? And why did the Philippine embassy, which issued a press release on November 22 saying the installation was the work of one man, issue a second press release on December 13, acknowledging that the placement of the bust was a community project?

   The renaming of a park in Montreal after Rizal would count as an important achievement, But the place itself is nothing to cheer about, According to some who have been there, it is a small park for dogs. If it is for dogs then it is not an appropriate place for Jose Rizal, the greatest Malayan to have died for freedom.

   When news circulated that de la Paz was going to get a Presidential Award, few in the community celebrated. And that is as it should be because there is nothing to cheer about, unless we are kidding ourselves.