PiM – Possibilities in Motion, A Small Filipino Canadian Group with a Very Big Heart!

By Abel Pagaling

Photo credit: PIM Facebook Page

If you watched the Calgary Stampede parade this year, you might have seen the Filipino group “wow” the crowd with their all-out Filipino culture parade.  I watched personally as traditional dances were performed, and to my surprise, Arnis was also performed (Filipino stick fighting martial art) which I’m a big fan of.

What looked like a big Filipino group this year actually consisted of several Filipino groups working together to promote the Filipino culture in one of the biggest events in Western Canada.  In the heart of it all is one small group, established back in 2010, called PiM, or Possibilities in Motion.  PiM organized and brought the different groups together which is an amazing accomplishment for a group of 15 or so members and volunteers.

I attended one of PiM’s meeting back in June just before the Stampede parade.  Marianne Malaca, a PiM member who is also a TFCC member, invited me to their meeting and introduced me to the group.  I saw firsthand how passionate the members and volunteers were about making sure that the Filipino culture was represented in the parade.  It was the first time I’ve seen Filipino volunteers in action and I was impressed by their enthusiasm to showcase the Filipino culture.

Although a small group, PiM has done a lot of work over the last few years.  Working with a handful of volunteers, a small budget (and sometimes no budget), and collaborating with different Filipino groups in the city, PiM was able to represent the Filipino culture in some of the city’s major cultural events.  This led me to interview PiM’s founder, Sandra Fortozo.  I wanted to know more about their story, what they stand for, and what their plans are for the future.

“Possibilities in Motion was registered as a non-profit back in 2010,” said Sandra, “but the work actually started back in 2007.  At that time I noticed that during cultural events, Chinese and Indian communities have a strong presence, but the Filipino spirit was missing.  There was a lack of participation in the community, particularly with young adults ... I wanted to address this gap in our community.”  

Sandra contacted several cultural organizations to learn how they operate.  She also sought out mentors to help her get started. “One of my mentors told me that I should find someone who complements my weaknesses,” said Sandra, “so I partnered with Lovella Penaranda because she knows more Filipinos in the city, and she’s very passionate about our culture and very outspoken about it.”

In 2010, PiM’s first major event was a basketball tournament. “First, I enjoy basketball, and second, Filipinos love basketball,” said Sandra.  In December of the same year, PiM became a registered non-profit organization. “We wanted to get registered so we can have some credibility because as young adults, people might not take us seriously.  Getting registered gives us a status from the Alberta government that we're a serious organization.”  

In 2011, PiM organized the “Sama-Sama Salo-Salo Dinner Fundraiser which included a quest speaker from Vancouver's Enspire Foundation to promote their 'Reach Out' event in Philippines.  In the same year, they started the “Parol” contest (Christmas lantern).  In 2013, PIM’s Parols were displayed in Calgary’s City Hall, a proud display of Filipino culture in the heart of the city.

Perhaps one of PiM’s major contributions to the Filipino community is the 2012 Calgary Stampede parade.  After 20 years of absence of Filipino participation, PiM ensured that the Filipino culture would be shared for Stampede’s centennial parade.  I remembered that day.  Seeing the Filipino group march made me feel represented and proud about my Filipino heritage.  I’m sure many Filipinos felt the same.

PiM’s three basic missions are to Reach Out, Connect, and Share.  I would say they’ve been doing a very good job on all three.  They certainly have shared our culture to Calgarians.  They’ve connected with different Filipino organizations and local organizations to promote the Filipino culture in the city.  And now they’re working towards the “Reach Out” part, which is to help those in need.

“We want to help Filipinos back home,” said Sandra.  “We want to reach out and do meaningful work, like build a library or help an orphanage.  We want to raise money through the Global Fest event, or through our donors and partners so we can make this happen.”  I could sense her passion to make this happen. “We want to take concrete action on social issues and make an impact where it matters.  On our logo you'll see ripples, because the idea is to reach out locally and then internationally and make that lasting impact.”

After talking to Sandra, I was inspired.  PiM’s core mission is closely aligned to TFCC’s mission which is to Connect, Share, and Inspire Filipinos in Canada. 

PiM has certainly played a key role in promoting the Filipino culture in Calgary.  But this didn’t happen by itself.  We can thank the following people who helped bring PiM to where it is today:

- Analyn Cumlat (Founding Director)

- Alma Joy Erese (Founding Director)

- Lovella Penaranda (Director since Dec 2012)

- Rowan Flauta (Director since Dec 2012)

To know more about PiM, email PiMFoundation@yahoo.ca.  You can also visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/possibilitiesinmotion. 

Let’s support PiM and help them fulfill their “Reach Out” initiative by donating or partnering with their organization.  You can also purchase your Global Fest tickets from them (Global Fest Calgary: August 20-29).  This will take PiM closer to their goal of making a lasting impact in the Philippines.  And when you see PIM’s booth in Global Fest or in any Filipino events in the city, make sure you say hi to them, encourage them, and give them your support for what they are doing. This might be a small team of volunteers, but they have a very big heart towards the Filipino community!

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Abel Pagaling is the TFCC Communication and Program Lead. He manages a team of business analysts with a major Canadian insurance company. He is also an entrepreneur, a writer, a community servant, and a motivational speaker. He is passionate about personal development and leadership.

Email: abel.pagaling@gmail.com

Twitter: @abel_pagaling

Facebook: www.facebook.com/abelpagaling1

From an Abandoned Child, to an Angel in the Sky - The Limuel Hayag Vilela Story

By Abel Pagaling

“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself”. – James Allen

Challenges in life can impact us in two ways. It can break us, or it can mold us to become better individuals. Those who run from life’s challenges become forgotten, and their life’s potential are buried with them once all is said and done. But there are individuals who rise to life’s challenges. They use both their victories and defeats to improve themselves so they can pursue their dreams. They don’t give up. They confidently face

the future. These are the people that will be remembered, and their story will be a source of hope and inspiration for many.

One such person I know is Limuel Vilela. Although still quite young, Limuel has already accomplished much in his life. He overcame circumstances that many people would not live through. His personal triumphs is an inspiration that has touched many people in countries where he’s lived. Personally, I am inspired by his story.

Limuel’s story starts back in his home town of Pagbilao in the Province of Quezon, Philippines. When he was six years old, his mother and father abandoned him along with his three other siblings. To survive and get an education, Limuel lived in different homes, becoming a “katulong”, or a houseboy at very young age. When a family could no longer support his education, Limuel moved to another house, fulfilling his role as a “katulong” while studying hard at the same time.

From a very young age, Limuel valued education. Somehow he knew then that this was his ticket out of being a houseboy. Limuel said, “I didn’t have parents, but I pursued my studies. If a family could not send me to school, I moved to another family that could so I can survive and study.”

It didn’t get any easier for Limuel during his high-school days. He moved to another house as a houseboy, fulfilling his duties while studying at the same time. Limuel said, “I ate using a different plate, drank from a different cup, and I had to work first before I could study. Oftentimes, I felt rejected. But I continued to study even though I was tired all the time.”

Many in Limuel’s hometown wondered how he was able to continue studying given his circumstance. Youth in his situation could have easily turned to crime or drug addiction, or give up on life altogether. But Limuel persisted, enduring many hardship while focusing on his studies. Limuel said, “I remember in one house, I had to sleep outside where the dogs slept during a storm so I could keep watch of the construction material for the house. Life was difficult, but I focused on my studies. I promised to myself to create a better life for me and for others when I finish college. So I persisted.”

True to his word, Limuel did persist. Again, as a katulong, he worked and studied hard at the same time. Not only that, he founded several student organizations in his school, eventually becoming a student president of his university, and was awarded as most outstanding leader. He received scholarships for his leadership which allowed him to stop working so he can focus on his studies. But he also mentored his classmates in exchange for lunch or dinner because he didn’t have enough allowance. His hard work and persistence paid off. Limuel graduated Magna Cum Laude. “When I graduated, I cried. I saw my father at the ceremony, and I dedicated my award to him,” said Limuel.

After his university days, Limuel worked in KFC in the Phillipines, United Kingdom, and Canada where he held management positions on the restaurants he was employed in. “I started from the bottom, and worked my way up to the management level,” said Limuel. Because of his dedication and hard work, he received these several prestigious awards:

1. Impossible Is Nothing Award – Given by the President of Yum International Canada

2. Top 1 Restaurant General Manager Across Canada

3. World Class Business Operator of the Year

4. Business Excellence Award

Limuel didn’t stop there. He continued to develop himself mentally, and physically. Eventually, he pursued a career in the airlines industry, becoming a Flight Attendant for Westjet Encore of Westjet Airlines LTD, one of North America’s largest, safest, and best airline company. “When I was young, I always stared at the sky, dreaming that one day I would fly. And now here I am, from a Temporary Foreign Worker to a flight attendant. I’m helping people, and I’m inspiring my fellow Filipinos that fly with Westjet. I tell them not to give up on their dreams,” said Limuel.

Today, Limuel continues to inspire people. He is a dedicated public servant. Even though he is thousands of miles away from his home town in the Philippines, he continues to reach out to them, encouraging them, and telling them to persist. Limuel said, “I want to tell my story to the all the Filipinos because I want to give back my experience to them. I want them to be strong in mind and heart. I came from being an abandoned child, to becoming a Flight Attendant. If I can do it, they can as well.”

Does circumstance make a man, or merely reveal who he is? Limuel taught me that there will always be difficult circumstances in life, but how we respond to them is a choice, and the choices we make reveal who we truly are. In Limuel’s story, the abandoned child persisted and eventually chose to become an angel in the sky.

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Abel Pagaling is the TFCC Communication and Program Lead. He manages a team of business analysts with a major Canadian insurance company. He is also an entrepreneur, a writer, a community servant, and a motivational speaker. He is passionate about personal development and leadership. Email: abel.pagaling@gmail.com Twitter: @abel_pagaling Facebook: www.facebook.com/abelpagaling1