Province marks Filipino Heritage Month, Deafblind Awareness Month

By Your Southwest Media Group

The province has designated June as Filipino Heritage Month and some communities will hold activities to celebrate their vibrant culture, rich history and contributions to Saskatchewan.

Philippine Independence Day happens on June 12, marking 128 years since the nation's declaration of independence, a Parks, Culture and Sport Department statement said.

"The cultural wealth, deep resilience and community spirit that Filipino-Canadians share enrich our neighbourhoods and bring us closer together," department minister Alana Ross said.

It's also Deafblind Awareness Month, intended to raise awareness and understanding of the experiences of people who have both hearing and vision loss to the point that neither can be used as a primary source of information-gathering and communication, a Social Services statement said.

Ross urged residents to attend Filipino Heritage Month events and experience the beautiful music, food and history that make this vibrant heritage so special to the story of Saskatchewan.

Besides honouring the achievements and contributions of people who are deafblind in Saskatchewan, the province aims to continue building inclusive communities and improve accessibility province-wide, said Terry Jenson, the social services minister.

The CNIB's intervenor services help make their fundamental human rights of communication, information and community participation a reality by bridging the gap to independence, connection and full participation in society, said Dallas Lynch of Saskatoon, a CNIB manager.

In December 2024, the province issued a plan to improve the accessibility of government services, the statement noted.