Whitehorse high school celebrates Filipino heritage

A secondary school in Whitehorse is flying the Philippines' flag this week alongside a Canadian one.

Students at Vanier Catholic Secondary School held a barbecue to mark Independence Day in the Philippines, which is celebrated June 12. Though the celebration was a few days early, it was important to mark the school's growing Philippine population, according to principal Ryan Sikkes.

• Scroll down for video from the event

"The demographics of our students, absolutely has changed quite a bit over the last decade," says Sikkes, who's worked at Vanier for 11 years. "It's brought a renewed vitality to our school." 

Vanier Catholic has about 360 students. Approximately 100 have roots in the Philippines, many of whom have only been in Canada for a few years.

"When I arrive here it's so cold," says Gilel Alfonso, who is in Grade 11. "Even though it's summer, because I arrive in July, 2012."

On Monday, student bands played music in the school gym, and two men from the local Filipino community, Raul Diaquino and Diore Ilgasan, sang the country's national anthem in Tagalog.

Students also used the event to raise funds to help rebuild after typhoons in the Philippines. 

Religious identity important

A primary reason why the Filipino community gathers at Vanier — the only Catholic school in Whitehorse — is religion. 

"The Philippines, it's very religious," says Isabel Magsucang, a student in Grade 9, "and a lot of the students here choose to go to Vanier because of the curriculum and the religious program as well."

Principal Sikkes says the religious curriculum is a factor for parents, but not the only one.  

"Certainly there is a long tradition [in the Philippines] of Roman Catholicism," says Sikkes, "and I think that is a part of what draws them to the school.

"Now that the population of students has increased, the number has become the attractant in itself."