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This month is Filipino History Month. As we celebrate Filipino culture and tradition, Eastman Immigrant Services (E.I.S.) staff had the opportunity to attend the first Filipino Heritage Month Mixer in Steinbach at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre.

Amongst those in attendance was Keitel Hermoso – a Settlement Facilitator at E.I.S.. She was able to share her own story and those of other immigrants coming from the Philippines and the importance of community supporting newcomers in Steinbach.

Here is the speech she made at the mixer. We hope you enjoy this emotional and inspirational retelling of an immigrant’s journey to Canada.

Good evening, everyone. It is so wonderful to see all of you here tonight.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Keitel Hermoso, Settlement Worker from Eastman Immigrant Services. We assist newcomers and immigrants, making the transition to a new community a positive experience. To the organizers, thank you for inviting us to join and celebrate Filipino Heritage month.

When we look around the room this evening, we are looking at a living map of the world. Philippines is the top country of birth or origin for both recent and long-term immigrants in Steinbach, according to Statistics Canada.

We are looking at a beautiful room full of different faces, different accents, and different stories. But if you strip all of those differences away, there is one powerful thread that ties so many people in this room together: Courage. In Tagalog, “Lakas ng loob.”

It takes an immense amount of bravery to pack up your entire life into a few suitcases, say goodbye to everything you have ever known, and move across the world to build a brand-new life from scratch.

Here in Southeast Manitoba, that kind of courage is actually part of our DNA. Generations ago, this region was built by early settlers, the Mennonites, who looked at the vast, wild prairie and decided to take a chance on a new future. Today, that exact same pioneering spirit is alive. It is driving our incredibly vibrant, growing Filipino community, along with newcomers from every single corner of the globe, who are writing the next great chapter of our community’s story.

Every immigrant’s journey starts long before they ever get on an airplane. It starts with a really heavy choice. For my Filipino kababayan—our countrymen—and for immigrants from all over, leaving your country means saying goodbye to home. It means leaving behind the warm tropical breezes, the chaotic but beautiful energy of Manila, and those deep family networks and friends where someone is always cooking, sharing food. And someone is always looking out for you.

Many immigrants leave behind established careers, choosing to trade their degrees and professional titles for entry-level jobs just to get a foot in the door. That is not just a career change. That is a profound act of love and sacrifice for the next generation.

And then, you land in this beautiful country, Canada. In the friendliest province of Manitoba.

Let’s be completely honest for a moment: Southeast Manitoba is a beautiful place to live, but for a newcomer, it can be a massive shock. You trade the tropical warmth for the unreal Manitoba winters, where the temperature drops below -30, and the wind feels like it’s minus -40.

Think about the sheer courage it takes to navigate those first few months. You have to learn how to drive on black ice, figure out the unspoken social rules of small-town prairie life, and stand in the grocery store aisle looking at unfamiliar food labels, second guessing your decision. Quietly wondering to yourself, “Why did I went here?”, “Could we really thrive in this country?”, “Should we just go back?”, “Will this place ever truly feel like home?”

But true courage is not about never being afraid. It’s about feeling that fear, feeling that homesickness, and waking up the next morning to keep pushing forward anyway. We see that exact resilience every single day. In Tagalog, katatagan.

We see it when we look at our local economy. Newcomers have truly become the backbone of Southeast Manitoba, keeping our healthcare system strong, driving our manufacturing, agricultural, transport, hospitality sectors, etc.

We see it in our neighborhoods. The beautiful Filipino tradition of bayanihan—which means communal unity and helping your neighbor without expecting anything in return— bayanihan has officially taken root right here in the prairies. We see it in the incredible Filipino bakeries, grocery stores, backyard barbecues, and cultural festivals that bring so much color, warmth, and vitality to our town.

Most of all, we see it in the homes. We see it in the parents who work grueling work shift, balancing multiple jobs and enduring long hours of sacrifice, all driven by one burning hope: that your children will grow up in a safe place with immeasurable opportunities.

Immigrants don’t just move to Southeast Manitoba; they build it. They are transforming our towns from quiet, isolated rural spaces into thriving, welcoming multicultural hubs. They remind all of us that a community’s true strength doesn’t come from everyone being exactly the same. It comes from shared values—the values of hard work, kindness, faith, and taking care of one another.

To every immigrant who has chosen Southeast Manitoba: thank you for your courage. Thank you for choosing us, for bringing your talents here, and for enriching our community with your heritage. Your courage makes all of us stronger. Home isn’t just the place where you were born; it’s the sanctuary you bravely choose to build.

Thank you, maraming salamat, and let’s keep building this wonderful, welcoming home together.