Filipinos in Canada are the main characters of web series ‘Little Manila’

To say that many Filipinos try to build a home in Canada (literally and figuratively) is an understatement. Statistics Canada reports that according to the 2021 Census of Population, the Philippines is the third largest source country for immigration (757,410 people), tailing behind China (830,980) and India (1.2 million).

Among Filipinos’ common reasons include the search for better opportunities in both career and education. While homesickness can be a frequent visitor, it can be somehow comforting to know that there’s a huge community that can resonate with your struggles and become your circle.

Among the Canadian provinces with the biggest Filipino population is Ontario. If you look deeper enough, you’ll find Little Manila, which is placed in the central district of North York. Mixing culture, business, and identity, this certain Little Manila is also the focus of a new eponymous web series.

Produced by Artfilm Canada, “Little Manila” highlights the experiences of Filipino immigrants in Canada through funny and poignant narratives. The fictitious but relatable story is headed by three main characters, each with their own quirks, as they deal with their day-to-day lives with resilience. The production house also says that this is the first Filipino web series in Canada.

Carrying the goal to show “unique and diverse” tales of the Filipino, the story is headed by Angie (played by Angeline Joven), a young Filipina who lives with her cousins Janel (Jeanalle Suico) and Edgar (Edgar Dela Cruz), and deals with the monotony of life as a convenience store employee subsisting on fun vlogging and video calls with her Filipino family.

In its pilot episode, the scarcity of time significantly stands out: “Ganito ang buhay namin sa Canada. Laging may hinahabol (This is our life in Canada. We’re always chasing after something),” says Angie.

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The second episode is yet to be unveiled soon, but with the story so far, it’s giving a good balance of exuding warmth, fun, and understanding—while also placing Filipinos’ painful realities of sacrifice, never-ending hard work, and finding sense of belonging at the front seat.

On Facebook, the team behind “Little Manila” also called for additional help for the production of the series’ next chapters. Will Angie fill up her balikbayan box on time? You can watch “Little Manila” via Artfilm Canada’s YouTube channel.

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