Two Filipinas named among ‘Top 25 Canadian Immigrants’

Agnes Miranda. RBC

Flor Marcelino. RBC

TORONTO – Two Filipina Canadians are among the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2017.

RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) named finance executive Agnes P. Miranda and politician Florfina Marcelino along with 23 other achievers in its annual search for accomplished immigrants to Canada.

Agnes P. Miranda, executive vice-chairman of World Financial Group (WFG), told Canadian Immigrant she had dreamed of coming to Canada one day even when she was a little girls of 10 studying at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy run by French-Canadian nuns.

After graduating from university in banking and finance, Miranda applied for immigration and landed in Canada as a 20-year-old single woman in 1966. She got a job as a junior accounting clerk the day after she arrived. This year marks the 20th anniversary WFG, which she co-founded.

“The most important qualities that helped me as an immigrant were courage, ambition and perseverance,” says Miranda, who gives lots of her time to mentor other Filipino Canadian women in business.

In 2012 she was named Outstanding Filipino Canadian in the field of business by the Philippine Independence Day Council. Miranda is also a promoter of community events abd has produced fashion shows, pageants and other cultural events in Toronto.

Miranda recently received a Lifetime Award of Excellence for her contribution to Canadian Asian Fashion Week – Toronto.

The other Top 25 Canadian Immrigrants awardee is Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Florfina Marcelino. In 2007, she became the first non-white woman elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. Two years later she was the first person of ethnic background to be given a cabinet position– the portfolios of culture, heritage and tourism, and later multiculturalism and literacy.

Marcelino was re-elected in 2011 and again in 2016. She became the surprise choice for interim leader of the NDP (National Democratic) provincial party in the last election in which the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba’s victory ended nearly 17 years of NDP government.

Despite the loss, Marcelino said she and her party intended to hold the new government to account during question period as the Official Opposition. “This is a party that will keep on fighting for what we believe is right, for our values, for our social justice goals for everyone … Watch out how we rise up.”

She is viewed as someone that everyone could work with. The Philippine-born Marcelino makes it a point to say she wants to work with First Nations, newcomer communities and all Manitobans.

Marcelino and her family moved to Winnipeg in 1982, and have called Manitoba home ever since. Prior to her political career, Marcelino was a small business owner, editor of The Philippine Times, and worked as a support staff at Red River College for 17 years.

A brain tumor in 2002 affected her speech, but the mother of five adult children and grandmother to four boys hasn’t slowed down. While she’s not seeking the party leader position on a permanent basis, as interim leader Marcelino has been a vocal critic of the government’s policies, and a popular face at community events.