Vote Filipino Canadian candidates in October 20 Municipal elections
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Hector Bremner (Mayor) – YES
Hector Bremner is the only candidate with Vancouver City council experience running for Mayor and is Yes Vancouver’s founding mayoral candidate. Councillor Bremner’s life and career have been marked by recognizing good ideas, getting things done, and bringing people together. He feels blessed to be able to serve all communities across our great city and promises to citizens that he will get the job done. After a successful career in business development and operations management with some of Canada’s largest brands, Hector founded TOUCH Marketing located in Vancouver in 2007, whose innovative marketing, communications, and project management strategies earned him a strong reputation for delivering results. This drew the attention of leading businesses and non-profit organizations looking for winning strategies to communicate their messages and achieve their goals and ultimately brought him into the uniquely challenging world of provincial politics. In 2013, Bremner was appointed by the provincial government to serve with the Ministry of International Trade, Ministry of Tourism and Small Business, as well as the Ministry of Natural Gas Development and Deputy Premier’s Office. Councillor Hector Bremner was elected to Vancouver City Council in a 2017 byelection. His non-profit related experience also includes Fundraising for the Canadian Olympic Committee, Board Director of the BC Senior Services Society, Board Director of the Vancouver Biennale, and Cabinet Member, A Night of Miracles, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. As a father and a husband, Hector Bremner strives to lead by example and never shy away from doing what is right. He and his wife Virginia, who is Fil-Canadian, are dedicated to fixing the housing crisis facing Vancouver because, like so many Vancouverites, they care that their boys, who were born in Vancouver, won’t be able to make a living in our city unless something is done now.
Jojo Quimpo (Councillor) – NPA
Jojo Quimpo was a fourth-year law student in the Philippines prior to coming to Canada with his family in 1996. Like many new immigrants, Jojo had to overcome similar challenges faced by first-generation Canadians. As he left his books behind and settled in Vancouver, he worked in a fish-packing factory to provide for the family. In between work and family duties, he continued his legal pursuits, eventually completing his paralegal studies and joining a premier legal firm soon after. Canada is a country where everyone participates and embraces multiculturalism.
For Jojo, this means sharing the music, culture, and diversity of Filipino culture with
Canada. He is perhaps best known as the organizer of Pinoy Fiesta, a marquee event
and showcasing all things Filipino in Vancouver. Staying involved in the community is important to Jojo. He volunteers with seniors and community organizations, and with local churches. When natural disasters strike overseas, Jojo steps up and rallies his community to contribute to various disaster relief efforts. For his long-standing contribution to the community, Jojo was awarded The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award in 2013.
Today Jojo is a successful paralegal professional of 14 years, and a well-respected
community leader. He is ready to expand his role by becoming a City Councillor in
Vancouver, enabling him to serve the wider public.
Dr. Neneng Galanto (Councillor) – Independent
Warm greetings! Dr. Neneng Erlinda Galanto has lived in Surrey for the past 24 years. She
loves Surrey City! Many people would like her to be their voice in the government. This
served as her inspiration to run for Surrey City Councillor. She was once with the Vancouver
Society of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women, Vancouver, BC and helped newcomers by teaching them job search skills, as well as coordinated with immigrant-serving organizations. She is a career educator and counselor and has worked in many fields of education and healthcare. Dr. Galanto loves to help people and encourage them to see their value. As a former college administrator, career and employment counselor, and currently as an entrepreneur, college instructor, and volunteer, she likes to share her positive outlook
in life with as many as she can. The challenges in her life made her a better, not bitter, person. People would like her to do something for their concerns on public transportation, drugs, homelessness, etc. Dr. Galanto joined the first cohort of the Community Leaders Igniting Change program at Simon Fraser University which encouraged her to do more for her community. She wants to do what is best for Surrey by listening to people’s concerns and working on the issues that matter.
Tommy Raguero (Councillor) – Independent
Born and raised in the city of Vancouver by his Immigrant Filipino parents, Rustum and Lucilyn. Growing up under their roof, along with his brother Ryan, Tommy quickly learned that respect and having great family values are a few of the keys to being a great human being. It wasn’t until he met his future wife, Reni, that another key was to have the ability to give relentlessly without expecting anything in return. In 2009, he and Reni got married, in that same year they found out they were pregnant and moved to Port Coquitlam. A city they are very proud to call home. Today, the only thing that has changed is now there are two kids, Cairo and Callia, running around the house. This alone has been motivation for Tommy to step up and try to make a difference in the community in which his two kids will grow up in. A natural born leader, who has a passion for sports, health and youth development. Over the years, Tommy has volunteered his time to coach baseball and soccer, he also has helped raise money for the Special Olympics and other various organizations. It is
now time for him to step up his game. Tommy envisions bigger and better things for our community. All generations play an important role, but Tommy feels a focus on our youth is needed, to nurture this generation towards a strong and vibrant future. Our community continues to grow and should be thriving when it comes to small businesses, and celebrating our community’s diversity. Tommy feels we need a council in place that is willing to fight to push the boundaries to create a community that is safe and supports its youth, small businesses, and our diversity.
Rod Belleza (School Board Trustee) – Richmond Community Coalition
Rod is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and has a BA (Political Science) and LL.B degree from the Philippines where he practiced law before immigrating to Canada in 1980. As a Trustee of the Richmond Board of Education since 2008, he was appointed as Chairman-Audit Committee, Vice Chair- Education Committee and Personnel and Finance Committee, AEEA Representative, BCPSEA Alternate Representative and Trustee Liaison to various schools. For over 25 years, Rod has dedicated his time to community service. He served in the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee, Richmond Community Services Advisory Committee, ERCA, AMSSA, Rotary, Jaycees, RMCS, and Filipino-Canadian Associations.
The Philippine Asian News and the Filipino Canadian Business Directory awarded Rod for his outstanding community service. Rod believes in enabling our children’s individual potential by providing them the quality education. His mission is to ensure that the Richmond Board of Education has accountable and responsible governance.
Joseph Muego (School Board Trustee) – Independents Working for You
Joseph Muego is running for school board trustee. He is a parent leader and volunteer. Over the last decade, he has chaired or attended hundreds of PAC, DPAC, Board public and committee meetings. He has a deep understanding of the system from a parent’s perspective. He is the most qualified to bring the parent voice to the Board. Outside of my school work, he is an architect. I am an active mentor and help build the foundation for future professionals. As a trustee, he ascribes to the following values: Caring, Respect, and Community. He is running on a campaign of Collaboration – between students, staff, parents, and administration, but also with Delta, BC, and community organizations. Our work should be without politics; Parent Engagement – it is known that the children whose parents are engaged in their children’s school-life to enjoy success. His decade of parent advocacy will continue; Fiscal Responsibility– Delta spends the most per capita directly into the classroom and boasts the fourth lowest administrative costs in the province while enjoying the highest graduation rates in Metro Vancouver and second highest in the province. He will work to ensure that every dollar that is invested into the system has a clear benefit, and Mental Wellness – He will continue on with the Healthy Schools Committee to address mental wellness for students and staff, and ensure that it remains a priority for the District.
Cyrus Sy (School Board Trustee) – New West Progressives Cyrus has lived in New Westminster since 2007 with his wife and two kids (who attend Herbert Spencer Elementary and Glenbrook Middle
School). He is passionate about causes that support children and parents. He has served
as Board Chair with Parent Support Services Society of BC (PSSBC) and Board co-chair
with the Kolumbia Inn Daycare Society (KIDS). He graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree and has worked in the BC technology industry for nearly 20 years in engineering and marketing roles. His favorite pastimes include running,
photography and exploring new places. According to Cyrus, the top three issues facing the New Westminster school board include advocating for adequate funding as part of the provincial funding formula review.; ensuring that rebuild of the new high school, seismic upgrades
of Richard McBride and Lord Tweedsmuir are completed on time; and ensuring adequate school and education support staff for students with special needs. He says that the positives include budget surplus, approval for new high school and seismic upgrades, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and technology upgrades, but there are opportunities for improvement such as improved two-way communication with parents, training and support for teachers on new
technology in classrooms and creating strong environmental and sustainability
policies. Cyrus believes that the district plays a key role to adhere to a fair process that
engages all community stakeholders as we decide its future. The consultation process must be inclusive, fair and transparent.
In his 28 years as a custodian, Behl learned how important it is to have a safe, clean, and supportive learning environment to provide high-quality education for all North Vancouver
students. He came to Canada from the Philippines, married, and has lived in the District for over 36 years. In the Philippines, Behl held accounting credentials and worked for eight years in the Provincial Engineer’s Office, where he learned financial management, strategic planning, and teamwork in an office environment. However, in Canada, he had a very different career in building maintenance but practiced the arts of teamwork and cooperation. Behl recently retired and has devoted much of my life to public education, and now seek to serve as a trustee. He will bring in a unique background and different perspective that will be valuable to school board decision-making. As a school trustee, he knows that he always can’t make everyone happy. There are always fewer resources than we need and “to govern is to choose.” In the context of limited resources, he understands the importance of setting up
priorities. However, he says there’s a need to push for a better solution in funding
formula from Victoria. He will listen to advise and input from all stakeholders; work cooperatively and respectfully with fellow trustees and decide responsibly according to the best interests of students.
