Filipino youth network launches COVID-19 impact survey for Filipino youth in Canada

Filipino Heritage Month in Canada will have a different tone of celebration this year. The situation regarding COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) is worsening and it has a significant impact on the Filipino community. Currently, we know that many Filipinos are on the frontlines in essential services during the COVID-19 crisis. However, we know very little about the challenges and well-being of youth during this time.

Filipino youth groups involved in the Kapit-Bisig Laban COVID Canada’s Youth Network (the KB Youth Network) come together to learn about the situation and issues facing Filipino youth. Kapit-Bisig, meaning “to link arms” in Tagalog, represents the connection shared between these various Filipino youth organizations and the Filipino youth in Canada, and through these trying times, they will be there to lend a helping hand for one another.

The KB Youth Network first gathered together in May to discuss how the youth in their networks have been impacted so far. Similar stories were shared on how Filipino youth have been affected across the country, including cancelled programming for youth, navigating online schooling, concerns from families working in essential services.

The KB Youth Network, including Filipino youth organizations such as FILCASA (Filipino-Canadian Students Association), Anakbayan-Canada, and Makulay atbp. (at iba pa), are launching their COVID-19 Impacts on Filipino Youth Survey.

This survey is inspired by the Kabataan Alliance’s Survey on COVID-19 Impacts on Filipino American Youth.

They are taking on the responsibility to listen to, engage with, and understand the realities of the Filipino youth community in order to provide concrete support.

KB Youth Network’s goal is to learn more about the qualms and needs of the community. They are taking on the responsibility to listen to, engage with, and understand the realities of the Filipino youth community in order to provide concrete support.

Georelle Mendoza, president of FILCASA, explains that this work is “part of [their] ongoing commitment to members of the Filipino-Canadian community as a whole”. They look forward to “learning more on how [they] can identify and respond to the needs of [their] community”.

Members of Makulay atbp., a collective of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) Filipino youth, were instrumental to the development of the survey. Because of the unique experiences, needs, and challenges faced by queer and trans youth, Makulay atbp. helped shape the survey to be inclusive to LGBTQ+ youth. Members of the collective share their hopes that the survey can "inform not only resources and advocacy for queer and trans-specific groups, but also the larger Filipino community in Canada.”

Makulay atbp helped shape the survey to be inclusive to LGBTQ+ youth... Anakbayan-Canada hopes that barriers faced by migrant, undocumented, and working-class youth will be brought to light.

Anakbayan-Canada has a similar perspective. As expressed by Nicole Sudiacal, Anakbayan-Canada chairperson, they hope that “barriers to resources faced by migrant, undocumented, and working-class youth” will be brought to light. They know that “uniting together with Filipino youth across Canada is the best way to achieve this.”

The results of this survey will be shared this summer with the hopes of informing programming, activities, and advocacy for Filipino youth across Canada.

This Filipino Heritage Month, while we celebrate our people and culture, the KB Youth Network especially wants to honour the strength in our communities and the power in the ways we show up for each other. Other organizations and groups are invited to share the survey amongst their networks of Filipino youth, and join the network to support youth during this time.

For questions and comments about the survey, or to learn more about the Network, you can email youthsurvey@kapitbisig.ca or call us at +1 866-275-4046.