Filipino leader named finalist for national distinction

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This article was published 05/07/2020 (1813 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Becoming a parent made Kris Ontong want to roll up his sleeves and get involved in his community.

Ontong and his wife, Peegy, learned they were expecting in 2010, shortly before they immigrated to Steinbach from the Philippines.

A tropical storm had flooded their home and destroyed most of their possessions.

“All we had was the clothes on our backs and two laptops we were able to salvage,” Ontong recalled.

A few months later, newly settled in Steinbach, Lexie was born.

“When I became a parent, it changed my perspective,” Ontong said. “Some people, they want to be proud of what their children accomplish. They’re putting the burden the children. For me, I wanted to do the opposite.”

Ontong said he wants to be “an anchor” for his daughter as she grows up.

“I hope I can make her proud that I did all this work for the community to give a strong sense of identity for people like her, for the next generation.”

Today, Ontong carries on that work as a Canadian citizen. He and Peegy recited the oath at a ceremony in January 2019. Excited to vote in their first election last fall, they began encouraging others to do the same.

Now, Ontong is hoping the Southeast will vote for him.

He’s one of 75 finalists in the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, which recognize inspirational immigrants who have made a positive impact on a local or national level since arriving in Canada.

Votes cast online determine which finalists become award winners, each of whom will receive a commemorate certificate, a $500 donation to a charity of their choice, and a writeup in Canadian Immigrant magazine.

Ontong said he’s honoured to be named a finalist during an otherwise understated Filipino Heritage Month in Manitoba, owing to COVID-19.

A panel of judges sifted through hundreds of nominations to determine this year’s finalists, only five of whom are Filipino.

Ontong was nominated by a colleague at Loewen Windows, where he works in the marketing department.

“I’m not campaigning for myself. This is more for representation,” he said. “Ever since the awards started 12 years ago, there’s only been a handful of Filipino immigrants who’ve landed in the Top 25.”

From 2017 to 2019, Ontong served as president of the Southeast Manitoba Filipino Association.

Last year, he cofounded EMBrACE, an umbrella organization that brings together ethnocultural groups in the Southeast. In January, the group produced an art exhibit at the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

Ontong also pens a column in the Manitoba Filipino Journal and has held board positions with provincial and federal Filipino associations.

These days, he’s devoting a lot of time to Barangay Canada, a media project he cofounded to share first-person stories of newcomers building a life in Canada.

The term “Barangay” describes a small, self-sustaining village.

“It’s all about hope and it’s all about the challenges that we overcame as a community,” Ontong explained.

He has produced 14 episodes so far. The first interviews were filmed on-location.

“Typically I would travel to rural communities, where pockets of Filipino groups are, and I would find out, how are they able to integrate with their respective locales? What are the factors that allow them to thrive?”

When the pandemic arrived, Ontong switched to a video podcast format, interviewing his guests online. Mayor Earl Funk recently appeared on the program.

The series is a natural fit for the jovial Ontong. He hopes the exposure afforded to award finalists will be a springboard that will allow him to connect with more immigrant communities.

“We can all come together so that the rest of Canada will know the role of immigrants in building the country.”

To cast a vote, visit canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/vote. Voting ends Aug. 7.